diff --git a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c
index ae96d34b772..f3d16ab2f89 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c
@@ -227,6 +227,11 @@ int v4l2_event_subscribe(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
 			return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (!fh->vdev) {
+		pr_err("%s: fh->vdev is NULL\n", __func__);
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+
 	sev = kzalloc(sizeof(*sev) + sizeof(struct v4l2_kevent) * elems, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!sev)
 		return -ENOMEM;
@@ -242,11 +247,6 @@ int v4l2_event_subscribe(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
 		sev->merge = ctrls_merge;
 	}
 
-	if (!fh->vdev) {
-		pr_err("%s: fh->vdev is NULL\n", __func__);
-		return -EIO;
-	}
-
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&fh->vdev->fh_lock, flags);
 	found_ev = v4l2_event_subscribed(fh, sub->type, sub->id);
 	if (!found_ev)