diff --git a/security/apparmor/include/policy_ns.h b/security/apparmor/include/policy_ns.h
index cc6e84151812..4f8359875476 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/include/policy_ns.h
+++ b/security/apparmor/include/policy_ns.h
@@ -117,6 +117,22 @@ static inline struct aa_ns *aa_get_ns(struct aa_ns *ns)
 	return ns;
 }
 
+/**
+ * aa_get_ns_not0 - increment references count on @ns found via lookup
+ * @ns: namespace to increment reference count of (MAYBE NULL)
+ *
+ * Returns: pointer to @ns, if @ns is NULL returns NULL,
+ *          NULL if @ns is being freed
+ * Requires: @ns must be held with valid refcount when called
+ */
+static inline struct aa_ns *aa_get_ns_not0(struct aa_ns *ns)
+{
+	if (ns && aa_get_profile_not0(ns->unconfined))
+		return ns;
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 /**
  * aa_put_ns - decrement refcount on @ns
  * @ns: namespace to put reference of
diff --git a/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c b/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c
index 45e66b14c2d5..7d5c768493e8 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ struct aa_ns *aa_lookupn_ns(struct aa_ns *view, const char *name, size_t n)
 	struct aa_ns *ns = NULL;
 
 	rcu_read_lock();
-	ns = aa_get_ns(__aa_lookupn_ns(view, name, n));
+	ns = aa_get_ns_not0(__aa_lookupn_ns(view, name, n));
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
 	return ns;