diff --git a/fs/smb/client/smb2pdu.c b/fs/smb/client/smb2pdu.c
index dea05aeb53a1..880ce12f50c4 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/smb2pdu.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/smb2pdu.c
@@ -189,18 +189,19 @@ cifs_chan_skip_or_disable(struct cifs_ses *ses,
 		spin_unlock(&ses->chan_lock);
 
 		/*
-		 * the above reference of server by channel
-		 * needs to be dropped without holding chan_lock
-		 * as cifs_put_tcp_session takes a higher lock
-		 * i.e. cifs_tcp_ses_lock
+		 * signal the channel and its primary server to
+		 * reconnect before dropping the above reference of
+		 * server by channel, which is done without holding
+		 * chan_lock as cifs_put_tcp_session takes a higher
+		 * lock i.e. cifs_tcp_ses_lock
 		 */
-		cifs_put_tcp_session(server, from_reconnect);
-
 		cifs_signal_cifsd_for_reconnect(server, false);
 
 		/* mark primary server as needing reconnect */
 		pserver = server->primary_server;
 		cifs_signal_cifsd_for_reconnect(pserver, false);
+
+		cifs_put_tcp_session(server, from_reconnect);
 skip_terminate:
 		return -EHOSTDOWN;
 	}