diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_worker.c b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_worker.c
index e48012df108a..f0717a97a42a 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_worker.c
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_worker.c
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ void drbd_md_endio(struct bio *bio)
 	device = bio->bi_private;
 	device->md_io.error = blk_status_to_errno(bio->bi_status);
 
+	/* special case: drbd_md_read() during drbd_adm_attach() */
+	if (device->ldev)
+		put_ldev(device);
+	bio_put(bio);
+
 	/* We grabbed an extra reference in _drbd_md_sync_page_io() to be able
 	 * to timeout on the lower level device, and eventually detach from it.
 	 * If this io completion runs after that timeout expired, this
@@ -79,9 +84,6 @@ void drbd_md_endio(struct bio *bio)
 	drbd_md_put_buffer(device);
 	device->md_io.done = 1;
 	wake_up(&device->misc_wait);
-	bio_put(bio);
-	if (device->ldev) /* special case: drbd_md_read() during drbd_adm_attach() */
-		put_ldev(device);
 }
 
 /* reads on behalf of the partner,