diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_gem.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_gem.c
index c2051380d18c..6504ebec1190 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_gem.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_gem.c
@@ -196,10 +196,8 @@ nouveau_gem_new(struct nouveau_cli *cli, u64 size, int align, uint32_t domain,
 	}
 
 	ret = nouveau_bo_init(nvbo, size, align, domain, NULL, NULL);
-	if (ret) {
-		nouveau_bo_ref(NULL, &nvbo);
+	if (ret)
 		return ret;
-	}
 
 	/* we restrict allowed domains on nv50+ to only the types
 	 * that were requested at creation time.  not possibly on