diff --git a/sys/dev/drm2/drm_gem_names.c b/sys/dev/drm2/drm_gem_names.c
index 2577d132206..084d50f0478 100644
--- a/sys/dev/drm2/drm_gem_names.c
+++ b/sys/dev/drm2/drm_gem_names.c
@@ -132,12 +132,12 @@ drm_gem_name_create(struct drm_gem_names *names, void *p, uint32_t *name)
 {
 	struct drm_gem_name *np;
 
-	np = malloc(sizeof(struct drm_gem_name), M_GEM_NAMES, M_WAITOK);
-	mtx_lock(&names->lock);
 	if (*name != 0) {
-		mtx_unlock(&names->lock);
 		return (EALREADY);
 	}
+
+	np = malloc(sizeof(struct drm_gem_name), M_GEM_NAMES, M_WAITOK);
+	mtx_lock(&names->lock);
 	np->name = alloc_unr(names->unr);
 	if (np->name == -1) {
 		mtx_unlock(&names->lock);