diff --git a/fs/fuse/dev.c b/fs/fuse/dev.c
index 261fd13a75c6..f3f6cd3c2fb5 100644
--- a/fs/fuse/dev.c
+++ b/fs/fuse/dev.c
@@ -1941,11 +1941,14 @@ static ssize_t fuse_dev_splice_write(struct pipe_inode_info *pipe,
 	if (!fud)
 		return -EPERM;
 
-	bufs = kmalloc(pipe->buffers * sizeof(struct pipe_buffer), GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!bufs)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
 	pipe_lock(pipe);
+
+	bufs = kmalloc(pipe->buffers * sizeof(struct pipe_buffer), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!bufs) {
+		pipe_unlock(pipe);
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
 	nbuf = 0;
 	rem = 0;
 	for (idx = 0; idx < pipe->nrbufs && rem < len; idx++)