diff --git a/kernel/auditfilter.c b/kernel/auditfilter.c
index bf309f2592c4..425c67e4f568 100644
--- a/kernel/auditfilter.c
+++ b/kernel/auditfilter.c
@@ -1114,22 +1114,24 @@ int audit_rule_change(int type, int seq, void *data, size_t datasz)
 	int err = 0;
 	struct audit_entry *entry;
 
-	entry = audit_data_to_entry(data, datasz);
-	if (IS_ERR(entry))
-		return PTR_ERR(entry);
-
 	switch (type) {
 	case AUDIT_ADD_RULE:
+		entry = audit_data_to_entry(data, datasz);
+		if (IS_ERR(entry))
+			return PTR_ERR(entry);
 		err = audit_add_rule(entry);
 		audit_log_rule_change("add_rule", &entry->rule, !err);
 		break;
 	case AUDIT_DEL_RULE:
+		entry = audit_data_to_entry(data, datasz);
+		if (IS_ERR(entry))
+			return PTR_ERR(entry);
 		err = audit_del_rule(entry);
 		audit_log_rule_change("remove_rule", &entry->rule, !err);
 		break;
 	default:
-		err = -EINVAL;
 		WARN_ON(1);
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
 	if (err || type == AUDIT_DEL_RULE) {