diff --git a/mm/damon/sysfs.c b/mm/damon/sysfs.c
index 7488e27c87c3..bdef9682d0a0 100644
--- a/mm/damon/sysfs.c
+++ b/mm/damon/sysfs.c
@@ -2182,12 +2182,12 @@ static int damon_sysfs_add_target(struct damon_sysfs_target *sys_target,
 
 	if (!t)
 		return -ENOMEM;
+	damon_add_target(ctx, t);
 	if (damon_target_has_pid(ctx)) {
 		t->pid = find_get_pid(sys_target->pid);
 		if (!t->pid)
 			goto destroy_targets_out;
 	}
-	damon_add_target(ctx, t);
 	err = damon_sysfs_set_regions(t, sys_target->regions);
 	if (err)
 		goto destroy_targets_out;