diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_dma_buf.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_dma_buf.c
index c0937c090d33..b9828da15897 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_dma_buf.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_dma_buf.c
@@ -378,12 +378,15 @@ struct drm_gem_object *xe_gem_prime_import(struct drm_device *dev,
 		goto out_err;
 	}
 
-	/* Errors here will take care of freeing the bo. */
+	/*
+	 * xe_dma_buf_init_obj() takes ownership of bo on both success
+	 * and failure, so we must not touch bo after this call.
+	 */
 	obj = xe_dma_buf_init_obj(dev, bo, dma_buf);
-	if (IS_ERR(obj))
+	if (IS_ERR(obj)) {
+		dma_buf_detach(dma_buf, attach);
 		return obj;
-
-
+	}
 	get_dma_buf(dma_buf);
 	obj->import_attach = attach;
 	return obj;