diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c
index 0f98a07efcd6f14437bec836176b972907025ca1..62666174a2c939f80c2e186e590ac8c383c39fc5 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c
@@ -2328,9 +2328,9 @@ static int gpio_chrdev_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	struct gpio_chardev_data *cdev = file->private_data;
 	struct gpio_device *gdev = cdev->gdev;
 
-	bitmap_free(cdev->watched_lines);
 	blocking_notifier_chain_unregister(&gdev->notifier,
 					   &cdev->lineinfo_changed_nb);
+	bitmap_free(cdev->watched_lines);
 	put_device(&gdev->dev);
 	kfree(cdev);