diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/st-dma-fence.c b/drivers/dma-buf/st-dma-fence.c
index b7c6f7ea9e0c..6a1bfcd0cc21 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/st-dma-fence.c
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/st-dma-fence.c
@@ -540,6 +540,12 @@ static int race_signal_callback(void *arg)
 			t[i].before = pass;
 			t[i].task = kthread_run(thread_signal_callback, &t[i],
 						"dma-fence:%d", i);
+			if (IS_ERR(t[i].task)) {
+				ret = PTR_ERR(t[i].task);
+				while (--i >= 0)
+					kthread_stop_put(t[i].task);
+				return ret;
+			}
 			get_task_struct(t[i].task);
 		}