diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_prime.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_prime.c
index 25cbe4ef383bd..ea7cd8aee68f6 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_prime.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_prime.c
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ struct drm_gem_object *nouveau_gem_prime_import_sg_table(struct drm_device *dev,
 	 * to the caller, instead of a normal nouveau_bo ttm reference. */
 	ret = drm_gem_object_init(dev, &nvbo->bo.base, size);
 	if (ret) {
-		nouveau_bo_ref(NULL, &nvbo);
+		drm_gem_object_release(&nvbo->bo.base);
+		kfree(nvbo);
 		obj = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 		goto unlock;
 	}