diff --git a/fs/notify/fanotify/fanotify_user.c 
index 19435cd2c41f..6ff94e312232 100644
--- a/fs/notify/fanotify/fanotify_user.c
+++ b/fs/notify/fanotify/fanotify_user.c
@@ -1624,8 +1624,8 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE2(fanotify_init, unsigned int, 
         file = anon_inode_getfile_fmode("[fanotify]", &fanotify_fops, 
                                         f_flags, FMODE_NONOTIFY);
         if (IS_ERR(file)) {
-               fd = PTR_ERR(file);
                 put_unused_fd(fd);
+               fd = PTR_ERR(file);
                 goto out_destroy_group;
         }
         fd_install(fd, file);