diff --git a/fs/erofs/xattr.c b/fs/erofs/xattr.c
index 41e311019a25..df7ea019526d 100644
--- a/fs/erofs/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/erofs/xattr.c
@@ -89,13 +89,11 @@ static int erofs_init_inode_xattrs(struct inode *inode)
 	    vi->xattr_isize - sizeof(struct erofs_xattr_ibody_header)) {
 		erofs_err(sb, "invalid h_shared_count %u @ nid %llu",
 			  vi->xattr_shared_count, vi->nid);
-		erofs_put_metabuf(&buf);
 		ret = -EFSCORRUPTED;
 		goto out_unlock;
 	}
 	vi->xattr_shared_xattrs = kmalloc_objs(uint, vi->xattr_shared_count);
 	if (!vi->xattr_shared_xattrs) {
-		erofs_put_metabuf(&buf);
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		goto out_unlock;
 	}
@@ -112,12 +110,12 @@ static int erofs_init_inode_xattrs(struct inode *inode)
 		}
 		vi->xattr_shared_xattrs[i] = le32_to_cpu(*xattr_id);
 	}
-	erofs_put_metabuf(&buf);
 
 	/* paired with smp_mb() at the beginning of the function. */
 	smp_mb();
 	set_bit(EROFS_I_EA_INITED_BIT, &vi->flags);
 out_unlock:
+	erofs_put_metabuf(&buf);
 	clear_and_wake_up_bit(EROFS_I_BL_XATTR_BIT, &vi->flags);
 	return ret;
 }