diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 94b27370f468..c36ff6f8195a 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4367,11 +4367,9 @@ int do_unlinkat(int dfd, struct filename *name)
 	if (!IS_ERR(dentry)) {
 
 		/* Why not before? Because we want correct error value */
-		if (last.name[last.len])
+		if (last.name[last.len] || d_is_negative(dentry))
 			goto slashes;
 		inode = dentry->d_inode;
-		if (d_is_negative(dentry))
-			goto slashes;
 		ihold(inode);
 		error = security_path_unlink(&path, dentry);
 		if (error)