diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/etnaviv/etnaviv_gpu.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/etnaviv/etnaviv_gpu.c
index b1254f885fed..b87d27859141 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/etnaviv/etnaviv_gpu.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/etnaviv/etnaviv_gpu.c
@@ -1299,6 +1299,8 @@ int etnaviv_gpu_submit(struct etnaviv_gpu *gpu,
 		goto out_pm_put;
 	}
 
+	mutex_lock(&gpu->lock);
+
 	fence = etnaviv_gpu_fence_alloc(gpu);
 	if (!fence) {
 		event_free(gpu, event);
@@ -1306,8 +1308,6 @@ int etnaviv_gpu_submit(struct etnaviv_gpu *gpu,
 		goto out_pm_put;
 	}
 
-	mutex_lock(&gpu->lock);
-
 	gpu->event[event].fence = fence;
 	submit->fence = fence->seqno;
 	gpu->active_fence = submit->fence;