diff --git a/fs/file_attr.c b/fs/file_attr.c
index 42721427245a..0e9b4f737546 100644
--- a/fs/file_attr.c
+++ b/fs/file_attr.c
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(file_getattr, int, dfd, const char __user *, filename,
 	struct path filepath __free(path_put) = {};
 	unsigned int lookup_flags = 0;
 	struct file_attr fattr;
-	struct file_kattr fa;
+	struct file_kattr fa = { .flags_valid = true }; /* hint only */
 	int error;
 
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(struct file_attr) < FILE_ATTR_SIZE_VER0);