diff --git a/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c b/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c
index c741b6431958c2..8a6e6b60d66f37 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c
@@ -451,7 +451,8 @@ static int dma_chan_get(struct dma_chan *chan)
 	/* The channel is already in use, update client count */
 	if (chan->client_count) {
 		__module_get(owner);
-		goto out;
+		chan->client_count++;
+		return 0;
 	}
 
 	if (!try_module_get(owner))
@@ -470,11 +471,11 @@ static int dma_chan_get(struct dma_chan *chan)
 			goto err_out;
 	}
 
+	chan->client_count++;
+
 	if (!dma_has_cap(DMA_PRIVATE, chan->device->cap_mask))
 		balance_ref_count(chan);
 
-out:
-	chan->client_count++;
 	return 0;
 
 err_out: