diff --git a/fs/dlm/lockspace.c b/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
index afb8340918b8..c689359ca532 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
@@ -632,6 +632,9 @@ static int new_lockspace(const char *name, const char *cluster,
 	wait_event(ls->ls_recover_lock_wait,
 		   test_bit(LSFL_RECOVER_LOCK, &ls->ls_flags));
 
+	/* let kobject handle freeing of ls if there's an error */
+	do_unreg = 1;
+
 	ls->ls_kobj.kset = dlm_kset;
 	error = kobject_init_and_add(&ls->ls_kobj, &dlm_ktype, NULL,
 				     "%s", ls->ls_name);
@@ -639,9 +642,6 @@ static int new_lockspace(const char *name, const char *cluster,
 		goto out_recoverd;
 	kobject_uevent(&ls->ls_kobj, KOBJ_ADD);
 
-	/* let kobject handle freeing of ls if there's an error */
-	do_unreg = 1;
-
 	/* This uevent triggers dlm_controld in userspace to add us to the
 	   group of nodes that are members of this lockspace (managed by the
 	   cluster infrastructure.)  Once it's done that, it tells us who the