diff --git a/fs/coredump.c b/fs/coredump.c
index d9b3ba086d92..6250eaf9b4d5 100644
--- a/fs/coredump.c
+++ b/fs/coredump.c
@@ -753,6 +753,14 @@ void do_coredump(const siginfo_t *siginfo)
 	if (displaced)
 		put_files_struct(displaced);
 	if (!dump_interrupted()) {
+		/*
+		 * umh disabled with CONFIG_STATIC_USERMODEHELPER_PATH="" would
+		 * have this set to NULL.
+		 */
+		if (!cprm.file) {
+			pr_info("Core dump to |%s disabled\n", cn.corename);
+			goto close_fail;
+		}
 		file_start_write(cprm.file);
 		core_dumped = binfmt->core_dump(&cprm);
 		file_end_write(cprm.file);