diff --git a/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c b/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c
index ad90d6edce..173d26f525 100644
--- a/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c
+++ b/fs/vfs/fs_rename.c
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ next_subdir:
 
       if (oldinode == newinode)
         {
+          inode_release(newinode);
           ret = OK;
           goto errout; /* Bad naming, this is not an error case. */
         }
@@ -113,6 +114,8 @@ next_subdir:
           FAR char *subdirname;
           FAR char *tmp;
 
+          inode_release(newinode);
+
           /* Yes.. In this case, the target of the rename must be a
            * subdirectory of newinode, not the newinode itself.  For
            * example: mv b a/ must move b to a/b.