diff --git a/fs/nfs/client.c b/fs/nfs/client.c
index 0c7008fb6d5a..9e7d49fac4e3 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/client.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/client.c
@@ -416,10 +416,10 @@ struct nfs_client *nfs_get_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *cl_init)
 		clp = nfs_match_client(cl_init);
 		if (clp) {
 			spin_unlock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
-			if (IS_ERR(clp))
-				return clp;
 			if (new)
 				new->rpc_ops->free_client(new);
+			if (IS_ERR(clp))
+				return clp;
 			return nfs_found_client(cl_init, clp);
 		}
 		if (new) {