diff --git a/drivers/firmware/imx/imx-dsp.c b/drivers/firmware/imx/imx-dsp.c
index 508eab346fc6..a48a58e0c61f 100644
--- a/drivers/firmware/imx/imx-dsp.c
+++ b/drivers/firmware/imx/imx-dsp.c
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@ static int imx_dsp_setup_channels(struct imx_dsp_ipc *dsp_ipc)
 		dsp_chan->idx = i % 2;
 		dsp_chan->ch = mbox_request_channel_byname(cl, chan_name);
 		if (IS_ERR(dsp_chan->ch)) {
-			kfree(dsp_chan->name);
 			ret = PTR_ERR(dsp_chan->ch);
 			if (ret != -EPROBE_DEFER)
 				dev_err(dev, "Failed to request mbox chan %s ret %d\n",
 					chan_name, ret);
+			kfree(dsp_chan->name);
 			goto out;
 		}