diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index bc641838530f..4852ca208bd4 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -2955,15 +2955,16 @@ void end_dirop(struct dentry *de)
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(end_dirop);
 
 /* does lookup, returns the object with parent locked */
-static struct dentry *__start_removing_path(int dfd, struct filename *name,
-					   struct path *path)
+struct dentry *start_removing_path(const char *name, struct path *path)
 {
+	CLASS(filename_kernel, filename)(name);
 	struct path parent_path __free(path_put) = {};
 	struct dentry *d;
 	struct qstr last;
 	int type, error;
 
-	error = filename_parentat(dfd, name, 0, &parent_path, &last, &type);
+	error = filename_parentat(AT_FDCWD, filename, 0, &parent_path, &last,
+			&type);
 	if (error)
 		return ERR_PTR(error);
 	if (unlikely(type != LAST_NORM))
@@ -3023,12 +3024,6 @@ struct dentry *kern_path_parent(const char *name, struct path *path)
 	return d;
 }
 
-struct dentry *start_removing_path(const char *name, struct path *path)
-{
-	CLASS(filename_kernel, filename)(name);
-	return __start_removing_path(AT_FDCWD, filename, path);
-}
-
 int kern_path(const char *name, unsigned int flags, struct path *path)
 {
 	CLASS(filename_kernel, filename)(name);