diff --git a/net/ipv6/ping.c b/net/ipv6/ping.c
index 0900352c924c..0e983b694ee8 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ping.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ping.c
@@ -126,8 +126,10 @@ static int ping_v6_sendmsg(struct sock *sk, struct msghdr *msg, size_t len)
 	rt = (struct rt6_info *) dst;
 
 	np = inet6_sk(sk);
-	if (!np)
-		return -EBADF;
+	if (!np) {
+		err = -EBADF;
+		goto dst_err_out;
+	}
 
 	if (!fl6.flowi6_oif && ipv6_addr_is_multicast(&fl6.daddr))
 		fl6.flowi6_oif = np->mcast_oif;
@@ -163,6 +165,9 @@ static int ping_v6_sendmsg(struct sock *sk, struct msghdr *msg, size_t len)
 	}
 	release_sock(sk);
 
+dst_err_out:
+	dst_release(dst);
+
 	if (err)
 		return err;