diff --git a/fs/ext2/xattr.c b/fs/ext2/xattr.c
index fa70848afa8f..22d817dc821e 100644
--- a/fs/ext2/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/ext2/xattr.c
@@ -605,9 +605,9 @@ skip_replace:
 	}
 
 cleanup:
-	brelse(bh);
 	if (!(bh && header == HDR(bh)))
 		kfree(header);
+	brelse(bh);
 	up_write(&EXT2_I(inode)->xattr_sem);
 
 	return error;