diff --git a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/mm_gk20a.c b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/mm_gk20a.c
index bf4a8f579..4005d5f48 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/mm_gk20a.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/mm_gk20a.c
@@ -2793,8 +2793,16 @@ int gk20a_gmmu_alloc(struct gk20a *g, size_t size, struct mem_desc *mem)
 int gk20a_gmmu_alloc_attr(struct gk20a *g, enum dma_attr attr, size_t size,
 		struct mem_desc *mem)
 {
-	if (g->mm.vidmem_is_vidmem)
-		return gk20a_gmmu_alloc_attr_vid(g, attr, size, mem);
+	if (g->mm.vidmem_is_vidmem) {
+		int err = gk20a_gmmu_alloc_attr_vid(g, attr, size, mem);
+
+		if (!err)
+			return 0;
+		/*
+		 * Fall back to sysmem (which may then also fail) in case
+		 * vidmem is exhausted.
+		 */
+	}
 
 	return gk20a_gmmu_alloc_attr_sys(g, attr, size, mem);
 }