diff --git a/fs/cifs/connect.c b/fs/cifs/connect.c
index 8463c940e0e5..2ed773b395a4 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/connect.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/connect.c
@@ -1486,6 +1486,11 @@ cifs_parse_devname(const char *devname, struct smb_vol *vol)
 	const char *delims = "/\\";
 	size_t len;
 
+	if (unlikely(!devname || !*devname)) {
+		cifs_dbg(VFS, "Device name not specified.\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	/* make sure we have a valid UNC double delimiter prefix */
 	len = strspn(devname, delims);
 	if (len != 2)