diff --git a/sys/compat/linux/linux_stats.c b/sys/compat/linux/linux_stats.c
--- a/sys/compat/linux/linux_stats.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linux/linux_stats.c
@@ -88,6 +88,23 @@
 	return (error);
 }
 
+static int
+linux_empty_path_error(const char *pathname, enum uio_seg pathseg, int error)
+{
+	char path[1];
+	size_t len;
+
+	if (pathseg == UIO_USERSPACE) {
+		if (copyinstr(pathname, path, sizeof(path), &len) != 0)
+			return (error);
+	} else
+		path[0] = pathname[0];
+	if (path[0] == '\0')
+		return (ENOENT);
+	else
+		return (error);
+}
+
 static int
 linux_kern_statat(struct thread *td, int flag, int fd, const char *path,
     enum uio_seg pathseg, struct stat *sbp)
@@ -104,9 +121,13 @@
 	    AUDITVNODE1, pathseg, path, fd, &cap_fstat_rights);
 
 	if ((error = namei(&nd)) != 0) {
-		if (error == ENOTDIR &&
-		    (nd.ni_resflags & NIRES_EMPTYPATH) != 0)
-			error = linux_kern_fstat(td, fd, sbp);
+		if (error == ENOTDIR) {
+			if ((nd.ni_resflags & NIRES_EMPTYPATH) != 0)
+				error = linux_kern_fstat(td, fd, sbp);
+			else if (fd != AT_FDCWD)
+				error = linux_empty_path_error(path, pathseg,
+				    error);
+		}
 		return (error);
 	}
 	error = VOP_STAT(nd.ni_vp, sbp, td->td_ucred, NOCRED);