diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c
index 1551ca7df394113fca8fc923fb1fdb98d63b13aa..b3832cf83bb071d4d036d59593c3776063fcfcec 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c
@@ -104,10 +104,9 @@ int dma_fence_signal_locked(struct dma_fence *fence)
 	struct dma_fence_cb *cur, *tmp;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	lockdep_assert_held(fence->lock);
-
 	if (WARN_ON(!fence))
 		return -EINVAL;
+	lockdep_assert_held(fence->lock);
 
 	if (test_and_set_bit(DMA_FENCE_FLAG_SIGNALED_BIT, &fence->flags)) {
 		ret = -EINVAL;