diff --git a/drivers/dma/xilinx/zynqmp_dma.c b/drivers/dma/xilinx/zynqmp_dma.c
index d47749a35863..ff253696d183 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/xilinx/zynqmp_dma.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/xilinx/zynqmp_dma.c
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ static void zynqmp_dma_free_descriptor(struct zynqmp_dma_chan *chan,
 	struct zynqmp_dma_desc_sw *child, *next;
 
 	chan->desc_free_cnt++;
+	list_del(&sdesc->node);
 	list_add_tail(&sdesc->node, &chan->free_list);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(child, next, &sdesc->tx_list, node) {
 		chan->desc_free_cnt++;
@@ -608,8 +609,6 @@ static void zynqmp_dma_chan_desc_cleanup(struct zynqmp_dma_chan *chan)
 		dma_async_tx_callback callback;
 		void *callback_param;
 
-		list_del(&desc->node);
-
 		callback = desc->async_tx.callback;
 		callback_param = desc->async_tx.callback_param;
 		if (callback) {