diff --git a/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c b/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c
index 5ec5d9d24032..388eb536cff1 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c
@@ -1294,7 +1294,7 @@ static int build_sec_desc(struct cifs_ntsd *pntsd, struct cifs_ntsd *pnntsd,
 		ndacl_ptr = (struct cifs_acl *)((char *)pnntsd + ndacloffset);
 		ndacl_ptr->revision =
 			dacloffset ? dacl_ptr->revision : cpu_to_le16(ACL_REVISION);
-		ndacl_ptr->num_aces = dacl_ptr->num_aces;
+		ndacl_ptr->num_aces = dacl_ptr ? dacl_ptr->num_aces : 0;
 
 		if (uid_valid(uid)) { /* chown */
 			uid_t id;