diff --git a/fs/ubifs/lprops.c b/fs/ubifs/lprops.c
index f5a46844340c..8ade493a423a 100644
--- a/fs/ubifs/lprops.c
+++ b/fs/ubifs/lprops.c
@@ -1089,10 +1089,6 @@ static int scan_check_cb(struct ubifs_info *c,
 		}
 	}
 
-	buf = __vmalloc(c->leb_size, GFP_NOFS, PAGE_KERNEL);
-	if (!buf)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
 	/*
 	 * After an unclean unmount, empty and freeable LEBs
 	 * may contain garbage - do not scan them.
@@ -1111,6 +1107,10 @@ static int scan_check_cb(struct ubifs_info *c,
 		return LPT_SCAN_CONTINUE;
 	}
 
+	buf = __vmalloc(c->leb_size, GFP_NOFS, PAGE_KERNEL);
+	if (!buf)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	sleb = ubifs_scan(c, lnum, 0, buf, 0);
 	if (IS_ERR(sleb)) {
 		ret = PTR_ERR(sleb);