diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 5f4cdf3..e245d88 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -1903,6 +1903,7 @@
 			get_fs_pwd(current->fs, &nd->path);
 		}
 	} else {
+		/* Caller must check execute permissions on the starting path component */
 		struct fd f = fdget_raw(dfd);
 		struct dentry *dentry;
 
@@ -1916,12 +1917,6 @@
 				fdput(f);
 				return -ENOTDIR;
 			}
-
-			retval = inode_permission(dentry->d_inode, MAY_EXEC);
-			if (retval) {
-				fdput(f);
-				return retval;
-			}
 		}
 
 		nd->path = f.file->f_path;