diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c b/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c
index d5860c1c1f46..9a88774836c9 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c
@@ -3634,6 +3634,8 @@ static int __init target_core_init_configfs(void)
 {
 	struct configfs_subsystem *subsys = &target_core_fabrics;
 	struct t10_alua_lu_gp *lu_gp;
+	struct cred *kern_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred;
 	int ret;
 
 	pr_debug("TARGET_CORE[0]: Loading Generic Kernel Storage"
@@ -3710,11 +3712,21 @@ static int __init target_core_init_configfs(void)
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto out;
 
+	/* We use the kernel credentials to access the target directory */
+	kern_cred = prepare_kernel_cred(&init_task);
+	if (!kern_cred) {
+		ret = -ENOMEM;
+		goto out;
+	}
+	old_cred = override_creds(kern_cred);
 	target_init_dbroot();
+	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	put_cred(kern_cred);
 
 	return 0;
 
 out:
+	target_xcopy_release_pt();
 	configfs_unregister_subsystem(subsys);
 	core_dev_release_virtual_lun0();
 	rd_module_exit();