diff --git a/fs/incfs/pseudo_files.c b/fs/incfs/pseudo_files.c
index 1a664f1478d5..1b9bf000f598 100644
--- a/fs/incfs/pseudo_files.c
+++ b/fs/incfs/pseudo_files.c
@@ -147,8 +147,12 @@ static long ioctl_permit_fill(struct file *f, void __user *arg)
 		return -EFAULT;
 
 	file = fget(permit_fill.file_descriptor);
-	if (IS_ERR(file))
+	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(file)) {
+		if (!file)
+			return -ENOENT;
+
 		return PTR_ERR(file);
+	}
 
 	if (file->f_op != &incfs_file_ops) {
 		error = -EPERM;