diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c b/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
index 0568ff8565b1..89ed04696865 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@ static struct svc_program	nfsd_acl_program = {
 	.pg_name		= "nfsd",
 	.pg_class		= "nfsd",
 	.pg_stats		= &nfsd_acl_svcstats,
+	.pg_authenticate	= &svc_set_client,
 };
 
 static struct svc_stat	nfsd_acl_svcstats = {
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/svc.c b/net/sunrpc/svc.c
index e9bd91265f70..5a220b2bb376 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/svc.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/svc.c
@@ -313,6 +313,11 @@ svc_process(struct svc_serv *serv, struct svc_rqst *rqstp)
 	rqstp->rq_proc = proc = ntohl(svc_getu32(argv));	/* procedure number */
 
 	progp = serv->sv_program;
+
+	for (progp = serv->sv_program; progp; progp = progp->pg_next)
+		if (prog == progp->pg_prog)
+			break;
+
 	/*
 	 * Decode auth data, and add verifier to reply buffer.
 	 * We do this before anything else in order to get a decent
@@ -320,7 +325,7 @@ svc_process(struct svc_serv *serv, struct svc_rqst *rqstp)
 	 */
 	auth_res = svc_authenticate(rqstp, &auth_stat);
 	/* Also give the program a chance to reject this call: */
-	if (auth_res == SVC_OK) {
+	if (auth_res == SVC_OK && progp) {
 		auth_stat = rpc_autherr_badcred;
 		auth_res = progp->pg_authenticate(rqstp);
 	}
@@ -340,10 +345,7 @@ svc_process(struct svc_serv *serv, struct svc_rqst *rqstp)
 	case SVC_COMPLETE:
 		goto sendit;
 	}
-		
-	for (progp = serv->sv_program; progp; progp = progp->pg_next)
-		if (prog == progp->pg_prog)
-			break;
+
 	if (progp == NULL)
 		goto err_bad_prog;