diff --git a/net/sched/sch_generic.c b/net/sched/sch_generic.c
index 7c1b1eff84f4..cad2586c3473 100644
--- a/net/sched/sch_generic.c
+++ b/net/sched/sch_generic.c
@@ -970,8 +970,6 @@ static void qdisc_destroy(struct Qdisc *qdisc)
 	const struct Qdisc_ops *ops;
 	struct sk_buff *skb, *tmp;
 
-	if (!qdisc)
-		return;
 	ops = qdisc->ops;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_SCHED
@@ -1003,6 +1001,9 @@ static void qdisc_destroy(struct Qdisc *qdisc)
 
 void qdisc_put(struct Qdisc *qdisc)
 {
+	if (!qdisc)
+		return;
+
 	if (qdisc->flags & TCQ_F_BUILTIN ||
 	    !refcount_dec_and_test(&qdisc->refcnt))
 		return;