diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 8b61d103a8a7..89a612e392eb 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -3671,15 +3671,11 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(linkat, int, olddfd, const char __user *, oldname,
 	if ((flags & ~(AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW | AT_EMPTY_PATH)) != 0)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	/*
-	 * To use null names we require CAP_DAC_READ_SEARCH
-	 * This ensures that not everyone will be able to create
-	 * handlink using the passed filedescriptor.
+	 * Using empty names is equivalent to using AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW
+	 * on /proc/self/fd/<fd>.
 	 */
-	if (flags & AT_EMPTY_PATH) {
-		if (!capable(CAP_DAC_READ_SEARCH))
-			return -ENOENT;
+	if (flags & AT_EMPTY_PATH)
 		how = LOOKUP_EMPTY;
-	}
 
 	if (flags & AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW)
 		how |= LOOKUP_FOLLOW;