diff --git a/security/selinux/ss/policydb.c b/security/selinux/ss/policydb.c
index adcfb63b3550..6f9ff4643dcb 100644
--- a/security/selinux/ss/policydb.c
+++ b/security/selinux/ss/policydb.c
@@ -2005,6 +2005,7 @@ static int filename_trans_read_helper(struct policydb *p, void *fp)
 		if (!datum)
 			goto out;
 
+		datum->next = NULL;
 		*dst = datum;
 
 		/* ebitmap_read() will at least init the bitmap */
@@ -2017,7 +2018,6 @@ static int filename_trans_read_helper(struct policydb *p, void *fp)
 			goto out;
 
 		datum->otype = le32_to_cpu(buf[0]);
-		datum->next = NULL;
 
 		dst = &datum->next;
 	}