diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c
index 27366304f5d5..bbe4f1665b60 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c
@@ -763,6 +763,7 @@ int msm_ioctl_gem_submit(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 	struct msm_ringbuffer *ring;
 	struct msm_submit_post_dep *post_deps = NULL;
 	struct drm_syncobj **syncobjs_to_reset = NULL;
+	struct sync_file *sync_file = NULL;
 	int out_fence_fd = -1;
 	bool has_ww_ticket = false;
 	unsigned i;
@@ -979,7 +980,7 @@ int msm_ioctl_gem_submit(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 	}
 
 	if (ret == 0 && args->flags & MSM_SUBMIT_FENCE_FD_OUT) {
-		struct sync_file *sync_file = sync_file_create(submit->user_fence);
+		sync_file = sync_file_create(submit->user_fence);
 		if (!sync_file) {
 			ret = -ENOMEM;
 		} else {
@@ -1012,8 +1013,11 @@ out:
 out_unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&queue->lock);
 out_post_unlock:
-	if (ret && (out_fence_fd >= 0))
+	if (ret && (out_fence_fd >= 0)) {
 		put_unused_fd(out_fence_fd);
+		if (sync_file)
+			fput(sync_file->file);
+	}
 
 	if (!IS_ERR_OR_NULL(submit)) {
 		msm_gem_submit_put(submit);