diff --git a/fs/nfs/write.c b/fs/nfs/write.c
index aa3d8bea3ec0..23df8b214474 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/write.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/write.c
@@ -579,8 +579,10 @@ static struct nfs_page *nfs_lock_and_join_requests(struct folio *folio)
 
 	while (!nfs_lock_request(head)) {
 		ret = nfs_wait_on_request(head);
-		if (ret < 0)
+		if (ret < 0) {
+			nfs_release_request(head);
 			return ERR_PTR(ret);
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* Ensure that nobody removed the request before we locked it */