diff --git a/security/apparmor/lsm.c b/security/apparmor/lsm.c
index 8d5d9a966b71..9175fd677ef3 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/lsm.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/lsm.c
@@ -2137,7 +2137,8 @@ char *aa_get_buffer(bool in_atomic)
 	if (!list_empty(&cache->head)) {
 		aa_buf = list_first_entry(&cache->head, union aa_buffer, list);
 		list_del(&aa_buf->list);
-		cache->hold--;
+		if (cache->hold)
+			cache->hold--;
 		cache->count--;
 		put_cpu_ptr(&aa_local_buffers);
 		return &aa_buf->buffer[0];