diff --git a/drivers/iommu/iommufd/driver.c b/drivers/iommu/iommufd/driver.c
index 61e6b02601d1..3b8067976eac 100644
--- a/drivers/iommu/iommufd/driver.c
+++ b/drivers/iommu/iommufd/driver.c
@@ -149,15 +149,18 @@ int iommufd_viommu_report_event(struct iommufd_viommu *viommu,
 		goto out_unlock_veventqs;
 	}
 
-	spin_lock(&veventq->common.lock);
-	if (veventq->num_events == veventq->depth) {
+	/* Pre-allocate to avoid GFP_ATOMIC; use GFP_NOWAIT to avoid sleeping */
+	vevent = kzalloc_flex(*vevent, event_data, data_len, GFP_NOWAIT);
+	if (!vevent) {
+		spin_lock(&veventq->common.lock);
 		vevent = &veventq->lost_events_header;
+		rc = -ENOMEM;
 		goto out_set_header;
 	}
 
-	vevent = kzalloc_flex(*vevent, event_data, data_len, GFP_ATOMIC);
-	if (!vevent) {
-		rc = -ENOMEM;
+	spin_lock(&veventq->common.lock);
+	if (veventq->num_events == veventq->depth) {
+		kfree(vevent);
 		vevent = &veventq->lost_events_header;
 		goto out_set_header;
 	}