diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ttm/ttm_bo_util.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/ttm/ttm_bo_util.c
index dcb2c23dc6de..7f97c97b49bd 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ttm/ttm_bo_util.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ttm/ttm_bo_util.c
@@ -244,6 +244,13 @@ static int ttm_buffer_object_transfer(struct ttm_buffer_object *bo,
 	ret = dma_resv_trylock(&fbo->base.base._resv);
 	WARN_ON(!ret);
 
+	ret = dma_resv_reserve_fences(&fbo->base.base._resv, 1);
+	if (ret) {
+		dma_resv_unlock(&fbo->base.base._resv);
+		kfree(fbo);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
 	if (fbo->base.resource) {
 		ttm_resource_set_bo(fbo->base.resource, &fbo->base);
 		bo->resource = NULL;
@@ -252,12 +259,6 @@ static int ttm_buffer_object_transfer(struct ttm_buffer_object *bo,
 		fbo->base.bulk_move = NULL;
 	}
 
-	ret = dma_resv_reserve_fences(&fbo->base.base._resv, 1);
-	if (ret) {
-		kfree(fbo);
-		return ret;
-	}
-
 	ttm_bo_get(bo);
 	fbo->bo = bo;