diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdgpu/amdgpu_ucode.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdgpu/amdgpu_ucode.c
index 8beefc045e14..bef754177064 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdgpu/amdgpu_ucode.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdgpu/amdgpu_ucode.c
@@ -1326,9 +1326,13 @@ int amdgpu_ucode_request(struct amdgpu_device *adev, const struct firmware **fw,
 
 	if (err)
 		return -ENODEV;
+
 	err = amdgpu_ucode_validate(*fw);
-	if (err)
+	if (err) {
 		dev_dbg(adev->dev, "\"%s\" failed to validate\n", fw_name);
+		release_firmware(*fw);
+		*fw = NULL;
+	}
 
 	return err;
 }