diff --git a/kernel/cgroup.c b/kernel/cgroup.c
index 741c120e06c1..8f72853131d3 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup.c
@@ -1313,7 +1313,8 @@ static int cgroup_remount(struct super_block *sb, int *flags, char *data)
 		goto out_unlock;
 	}
 
-	/* (re)populate subsystem files */
+	/* clear out any existing files and repopulate subsystem files */
+	cgroup_clear_directory(cgrp->dentry);
 	cgroup_populate_dir(cgrp);
 
 	if (opts.release_agent)
@@ -3644,9 +3645,6 @@ static int cgroup_populate_dir(struct cgroup *cgrp)
 	int err;
 	struct cgroup_subsys *ss;
 
-	/* First clear out any existing files */
-	cgroup_clear_directory(cgrp->dentry);
-
 	err = cgroup_add_files(cgrp, NULL, files, ARRAY_SIZE(files));
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;