diff --git a/kernel/cgroup.c b/kernel/cgroup.c
index 105f273..0c753dd 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup.c
@@ -4112,17 +4112,17 @@
 
 	err = percpu_ref_init(&css->refcnt, css_release);
 	if (err)
-		goto err_free;
+		goto err_free_css;
 
 	init_css(css, ss, cgrp);
 
 	err = cgroup_populate_dir(cgrp, 1 << ss->subsys_id);
 	if (err)
-		goto err_free;
+		goto err_free_percpu_ref;
 
 	err = online_css(css);
 	if (err)
-		goto err_free;
+		goto err_clear_dir;
 
 	dget(cgrp->dentry);
 	css_get(css->parent);
@@ -4138,8 +4138,11 @@
 
 	return 0;
 
-err_free:
+err_clear_dir:
+	cgroup_clear_dir(css->cgroup, 1 << css->ss->subsys_id);
+err_free_percpu_ref:
 	percpu_ref_cancel_init(&css->refcnt);
+err_free_css:
 	ss->css_free(css);
 	return err;
 }