diff --git a/drivers/base/firmware_class.c b/drivers/base/firmware_class.c
index bbb03e6f7255..06ed6b4e7df5 100644
--- a/drivers/base/firmware_class.c
+++ b/drivers/base/firmware_class.c
@@ -521,11 +521,6 @@ static int _request_firmware(const struct firmware **firmware_p,
 	if (!firmware_p)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	if (WARN_ON(usermodehelper_is_disabled())) {
-		dev_err(device, "firmware: %s will not be loaded\n", name);
-		return -EBUSY;
-	}
-
 	*firmware_p = firmware = kzalloc(sizeof(*firmware), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!firmware) {
 		dev_err(device, "%s: kmalloc(struct firmware) failed\n",
@@ -539,6 +534,12 @@ static int _request_firmware(const struct firmware **firmware_p,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (WARN_ON(usermodehelper_is_disabled())) {
+		dev_err(device, "firmware: %s will not be loaded\n", name);
+		retval = -EBUSY;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (uevent)
 		dev_dbg(device, "firmware: requesting %s\n", name);