diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/core/iwpm_util.c b/drivers/infiniband/core/iwpm_util.c
index 990cf928b32a..51af8c1c49f9 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/core/iwpm_util.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/core/iwpm_util.c
@@ -314,10 +314,6 @@ struct iwpm_nlmsg_request *iwpm_get_nlmsg_request(__u32 nlmsg_seq,
 	if (!nlmsg_request)
 		return NULL;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&iwpm_nlmsg_req_lock, flags);
-	list_add_tail(&nlmsg_request->inprocess_list, &iwpm_nlmsg_req_list);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&iwpm_nlmsg_req_lock, flags);
-
 	kref_init(&nlmsg_request->kref);
 	kref_get(&nlmsg_request->kref);
 	nlmsg_request->nlmsg_seq = nlmsg_seq;
@@ -326,6 +322,11 @@ struct iwpm_nlmsg_request *iwpm_get_nlmsg_request(__u32 nlmsg_seq,
 	nlmsg_request->err_code = 0;
 	sema_init(&nlmsg_request->sem, 1);
 	down(&nlmsg_request->sem);
+
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&iwpm_nlmsg_req_lock, flags);
+	list_add_tail(&nlmsg_request->inprocess_list, &iwpm_nlmsg_req_list);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&iwpm_nlmsg_req_lock, flags);
+
 	return nlmsg_request;
 }