diff --git a/src/WINNT/afsd/smb3.c b/src/WINNT/afsd/smb3.c
index 4d8af4dc19..c3e02458e1 100644
--- a/src/WINNT/afsd/smb3.c
+++ b/src/WINNT/afsd/smb3.c
@@ -7176,6 +7176,7 @@ void smb3_Init()
 cm_user_t *smb_FindCMUserByName(char *usern, char *machine)
 {
     smb_username_t *unp;
+    cm_user_t *     userp;
 
     unp = smb_FindUserByName(usern, machine, SMB_FLAG_CREATE);
     if (!unp->userp) {
@@ -7188,8 +7189,9 @@ cm_user_t *smb_FindCMUserByName(char *usern, char *machine)
         osi_Log2(smb_logp,"smb_FindCMUserByName Not found name[%s] machine[%s]",osi_LogSaveString(smb_logp,usern),osi_LogSaveString(smb_logp,machine));
         osi_LogEvent("AFS smb_FindCMUserByName : Found",NULL,"name[%s] machine[%s]",usern,machine);
     }
-    cm_HoldUser(unp->userp);
+    userp = unp->userp;
+    cm_HoldUser(userp);
     smb_ReleaseUsername(unp);
-    return unp->userp;
+    return userp;
 }