diff --git a/drivers/media/video/stv680.c b/drivers/media/video/stv680.c
index 8b4e7dafce7b..6a91714125d2 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/stv680.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/stv680.c
@@ -734,10 +734,6 @@ static int stv680_start_stream (struct usb_stv *stv680)
 	return 0;
 
  nomem_err:
-	for (i = 0; i < STV680_NUMSCRATCH; i++) {
-		kfree(stv680->scratch[i].data);
-		stv680->scratch[i].data = NULL;
-	}
 	for (i = 0; i < STV680_NUMSBUF; i++) {
 		usb_kill_urb(stv680->urb[i]);
 		usb_free_urb(stv680->urb[i]);
@@ -745,6 +741,11 @@ static int stv680_start_stream (struct usb_stv *stv680)
 		kfree(stv680->sbuf[i].data);
 		stv680->sbuf[i].data = NULL;
 	}
+	/* used in irq, free only as all URBs are dead */
+	for (i = 0; i < STV680_NUMSCRATCH; i++) {
+		kfree(stv680->scratch[i].data);
+		stv680->scratch[i].data = NULL;
+	}
 	return -ENOMEM;
 
 }