diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c
index 05090fb0fd5a..bd58688b81a7 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-fence.c
@@ -1170,7 +1170,12 @@ const char __rcu *dma_fence_driver_name(struct dma_fence *fence)
 
 	/* RCU protection is required for safe access to returned string */
 	ops = rcu_dereference(fence->ops);
-	if (ops)
+
+	/*
+	 * Make load ordering irrelevant by checking both signaled state and ops
+	 * pointer and ops pointer is only set to NULL on newer implementations.
+	 */
+	if (!dma_fence_test_signaled_flag(fence) && ops)
 		return (const char __rcu *)ops->get_driver_name(fence);
 	else
 		return (const char __rcu *)"detached-driver";
@@ -1203,7 +1208,12 @@ const char __rcu *dma_fence_timeline_name(struct dma_fence *fence)
 
 	/* RCU protection is required for safe access to returned string */
 	ops = rcu_dereference(fence->ops);
-	if (ops)
+
+	/*
+	 * Make load ordering irrelevant by checking both signaled state and ops
+	 * pointer and ops pointer is only set to NULL on newer implementations.
+	 */
+	if (!dma_fence_test_signaled_flag(fence) && ops)
 		return (const char __rcu *)ops->get_timeline_name(fence);
 	else
 		return (const char __rcu *)"signaled-timeline";
diff --git a/include/linux/dma-fence.h b/include/linux/dma-fence.h
index 158cd609f103..ffa99b930843 100644
--- a/include/linux/dma-fence.h
+++ b/include/linux/dma-fence.h
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ struct dma_fence_ops {
 	 * compute the name at runtime, without having it to store permanently
 	 * for each fence, or build a cache of some sort.
 	 *
+	 * The returned string is RCU protected and can be freed after the fence
+	 * signaled and a RCU grace period passed.
+	 *
 	 * This callback is mandatory.
 	 */
 	const char * (*get_driver_name)(struct dma_fence *fence);
@@ -153,6 +156,9 @@ struct dma_fence_ops {
 	 * having it to store permanently for each fence, or build a cache of
 	 * some sort.
 	 *
+	 * The returned string is RCU protected and can be freed after the fence
+	 * signaled and a RCU grace period passed.
+	 *
 	 * This callback is mandatory.
 	 */
 	const char * (*get_timeline_name)(struct dma_fence *fence);