diff --git a/fs/exofs/inode.c b/fs/exofs/inode.c
index 1634b946565..d1f80abd882 100644
--- a/fs/exofs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/exofs/inode.c
@@ -361,12 +361,12 @@ static int read_exec(struct page_collect *pcol)
 	return 0;
 
 err:
-	if (!pcol->read_4_write)
-		_unlock_pcol_pages(pcol, ret, READ);
-
-	pcol_free(pcol);
-
+	if (!pcol_copy) /* Failed before ownership transfer */
+		pcol_copy = pcol;
+	_unlock_pcol_pages(pcol_copy, ret, READ);
+	pcol_free(pcol_copy);
 	kfree(pcol_copy);
+
 	return ret;
 }