diff --git a/fs/f2fs/gc.c b/fs/f2fs/gc.c
index 6066c6eecf41..ef7b4b0ed164 100644
--- a/fs/f2fs/gc.c
+++ b/fs/f2fs/gc.c
@@ -207,10 +207,10 @@ void f2fs_stop_gc_thread(struct f2fs_sb_info *sbi)
 
 	if (!gc_th)
 		return;
+	sbi->gc_thread = NULL;
 	kthread_stop(gc_th->f2fs_gc_task);
 	wake_up_all(&gc_th->fggc_wq);
 	kfree(gc_th);
-	sbi->gc_thread = NULL;
 }
 
 static int select_gc_type(struct f2fs_sb_info *sbi, int gc_type)