diff --git a/fs/btrfs/file-item.c b/fs/btrfs/file-item.c
index a213419..a6a9d4e 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/file-item.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/file-item.c
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@
 	struct extent_io_tree *io_tree = &BTRFS_I(inode)->io_tree;
 
 	path = btrfs_alloc_path();
+	if (!path)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	if (bio->bi_size > PAGE_CACHE_SIZE * 8)
 		path->reada = 2;