diff --git a/fs/fuse/dev.c b/fs/fuse/dev.c
index ec83b107c1a0..4a9ace7280b9 100644
--- a/fs/fuse/dev.c
+++ b/fs/fuse/dev.c
@@ -1955,12 +1955,15 @@ static ssize_t fuse_dev_splice_write(struct pipe_inode_info *pipe,
 	if (!fud)
 		return -EPERM;
 
+	pipe_lock(pipe);
+
 	bufs = kmalloc_array(pipe->buffers, sizeof(struct pipe_buffer),
 			     GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!bufs)
+	if (!bufs) {
+		pipe_unlock(pipe);
 		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
 
-	pipe_lock(pipe);
 	nbuf = 0;
 	rem = 0;
 	for (idx = 0; idx < pipe->nrbufs && rem < len; idx++)