diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/INodesInPath.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/INodesInPath.java
index b37321d624..1d5dbf674a 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/INodesInPath.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/INodesInPath.java
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ public static INodesInPath append(INodesInPath iip, INode child,
   }
 
   private final byte[][] path;
-  private final String pathname;
+  private volatile String pathname;
 
   /**
    * Array with the specified number of INodes resolved for a given path.
@@ -268,7 +268,6 @@ private INodesInPath(INode[] inodes, byte[][] path, boolean isRaw,
     Preconditions.checkArgument(inodes != null && path != null);
     this.inodes = inodes;
     this.path = path;
-    this.pathname = DFSUtil.byteArray2PathString(path);
     this.isRaw = isRaw;
     this.isSnapshot = isSnapshot;
     this.snapshotId = snapshotId;
@@ -329,6 +328,9 @@ public byte[] getPathComponent(int i) {
 
   /** @return the full path in string form */
   public String getPath() {
+    if (pathname == null) {
+      pathname = DFSUtil.byteArray2PathString(path);
+    }
     return pathname;
   }