diff --git a/drivers/misc/cxl/native.c b/drivers/misc/cxl/native.c
index b37f2e8004f5..d2e75c88f4d2 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/cxl/native.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/cxl/native.c
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ static int activate_afu_directed(struct cxl_afu *afu)
 
 	dev_info(&afu->dev, "Activating AFU directed mode\n");
 
+	afu->num_procs = afu->max_procs_virtualised;
 	if (afu->spa == NULL) {
 		if (cxl_alloc_spa(afu))
 			return -ENOMEM;
@@ -468,7 +469,6 @@ static int activate_afu_directed(struct cxl_afu *afu)
 	cxl_p1n_write(afu, CXL_PSL_ID_An, CXL_PSL_ID_An_F | CXL_PSL_ID_An_L);
 
 	afu->current_mode = CXL_MODE_DIRECTED;
-	afu->num_procs = afu->max_procs_virtualised;
 
 	if ((rc = cxl_chardev_m_afu_add(afu)))
 		return rc;