diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_ioctl.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_ioctl.c
index 1b8f428accae..c509d40c4897 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_ioctl.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_ioctl.c
@@ -171,8 +171,6 @@ int vmw_present_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto out_no_fb;
 	}
-	/* fb is protect by the mode_config lock, so drop the ref immediately */
-	drm_framebuffer_unreference(fb);
 	vfb = vmw_framebuffer_to_vfb(fb);
 
 	ret = ttm_read_lock(&vmaster->lock, true);
@@ -197,6 +195,7 @@ int vmw_present_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 out_no_surface:
 	ttm_read_unlock(&vmaster->lock);
 out_no_ttm_lock:
+	drm_framebuffer_unreference(fb);
 out_no_fb:
 	drm_modeset_unlock_all(dev);
 out_no_copy:
@@ -256,14 +255,12 @@ int vmw_present_readback_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto out_no_fb;
 	}
-	/* fb is protect by the mode_config lock, so drop the ref immediately */
-	drm_framebuffer_unreference(fb);
 
 	vfb = vmw_framebuffer_to_vfb(fb);
 	if (!vfb->dmabuf) {
 		DRM_ERROR("Framebuffer not dmabuf backed.\n");
 		ret = -EINVAL;
-		goto out_no_fb;
+		goto out_no_ttm_lock;
 	}
 
 	ret = ttm_read_lock(&vmaster->lock, true);
@@ -276,6 +273,7 @@ int vmw_present_readback_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 
 	ttm_read_unlock(&vmaster->lock);
 out_no_ttm_lock:
+	drm_framebuffer_unreference(fb);
 out_no_fb:
 	drm_modeset_unlock_all(dev);
 out_no_copy: