diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_syncobj.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_syncobj.c
index 8d9fd1917c6e..c9dbf64c0c9f 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_syncobj.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_syncobj.c
@@ -442,13 +442,15 @@ int drm_syncobj_find_fence(struct drm_file *file_private,
 	u64 timeout = nsecs_to_jiffies64(DRM_SYNCOBJ_WAIT_FOR_SUBMIT_TIMEOUT);
 	int ret;
 
-	if (flags & ~DRM_SYNCOBJ_WAIT_FLAGS_WAIT_FOR_SUBMIT)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	if (!syncobj)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	/* Waiting for userspace with locks help is illegal cause that can
+	if (flags & ~DRM_SYNCOBJ_WAIT_FLAGS_WAIT_FOR_SUBMIT) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	/* Waiting for userspace with locks held is illegal cause that can
 	 * trivial deadlock with page faults for example. Make lockdep complain
 	 * about it early on.
 	 */