diff --git a/drivers/video/uvesafb.c b/drivers/video/uvesafb.c
index c4f4d7616317..cdbb56edb6cb 100644
--- a/drivers/video/uvesafb.c
+++ b/drivers/video/uvesafb.c
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ static int uvesafb_exec(struct uvesafb_ktask *task)
 	/* If all slots are taken -- bail out. */
 	if (uvfb_tasks[seq]) {
 		mutex_unlock(&uvfb_lock);
-		return -EBUSY;
+		err = -EBUSY;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
 	/* Save a pointer to the kernel part of the task struct. */
@@ -205,7 +206,6 @@ static int uvesafb_exec(struct uvesafb_ktask *task)
 			err = cn_netlink_send(m, 0, gfp_any());
 		}
 	}
-	kfree(m);
 
 	if (!err && !(task->t.flags & TF_EXIT))
 		err = !wait_for_completion_timeout(task->done,
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ static int uvesafb_exec(struct uvesafb_ktask *task)
 	seq++;
 	if (seq >= UVESAFB_TASKS_MAX)
 		seq = 0;
-
+out:
+	kfree(m);
 	return err;
 }