diff --git a/fs/ceph/auth_x.c b/fs/ceph/auth_x.c
index 582e0b2..a2d002c 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/auth_x.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/auth_x.c
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@
 
 		th = get_ticket_handler(ac, service);
 
-		if (!th) {
+		if (IS_ERR(th)) {
 			*pneed |= service;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -399,6 +399,9 @@
 	struct ceph_x_ticket_handler *th =
 		get_ticket_handler(ac, CEPH_ENTITY_TYPE_AUTH);
 
+	if (IS_ERR(th))
+		return PTR_ERR(th);
+
 	ceph_x_validate_tickets(ac, &need);
 
 	dout("build_request want %x have %x need %x\n",
@@ -450,7 +453,6 @@
 			return -ERANGE;
 		head->op = cpu_to_le16(CEPHX_GET_PRINCIPAL_SESSION_KEY);
 
-		BUG_ON(!th);
 		ret = ceph_x_build_authorizer(ac, th, &xi->auth_authorizer);
 		if (ret)
 			return ret;
@@ -505,7 +507,8 @@
 
 	case CEPHX_GET_PRINCIPAL_SESSION_KEY:
 		th = get_ticket_handler(ac, CEPH_ENTITY_TYPE_AUTH);
-		BUG_ON(!th);
+		if (IS_ERR(th))
+			return PTR_ERR(th);
 		ret = ceph_x_proc_ticket_reply(ac, &th->session_key,
 					       buf + sizeof(*head), end);
 		break;
@@ -563,8 +566,8 @@
 	void *end = p + sizeof(au->reply_buf);
 
 	th = get_ticket_handler(ac, au->service);
-	if (!th)
-		return -EIO;  /* hrm! */
+	if (IS_ERR(th))
+		return PTR_ERR(th);
 	ret = ceph_x_decrypt(&th->session_key, &p, end, &reply, sizeof(reply));
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
@@ -626,7 +629,7 @@
 	struct ceph_x_ticket_handler *th;
 
 	th = get_ticket_handler(ac, peer_type);
-	if (th && !IS_ERR(th))
+	if (!IS_ERR(th))
 		remove_ticket_handler(ac, th);
 }