diff --git a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/fifo_gk20a.c b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/fifo_gk20a.c
index 678020161..23ce32118 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/fifo_gk20a.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/fifo_gk20a.c
@@ -918,6 +918,12 @@ int gk20a_init_fifo_setup_sw_common(struct gk20a *g)
 		goto clean_up;
 	}
 
+	err = gk20a_fifo_init_userd_slabs(g);
+	if (err != 0) {
+		nvgpu_err(g, "userd slabs init fail, err=%d", err);
+		goto clean_up;
+	}
+
 	nvgpu_log_fn(g, "done");
 	return 0;
 
@@ -1039,12 +1045,6 @@ int gk20a_init_fifo_setup_sw(struct gk20a *g)
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	err = gk20a_fifo_init_userd_slabs(g);
-	if (err != 0) {
-		nvgpu_err(g, "userd slabs init fail, err=%d", err);
-		return err;
-	}
-
 	size = f->num_channels * f->userd_entry_size;
 	num_pages = DIV_ROUND_UP(size, PAGE_SIZE);
 	err = nvgpu_vm_area_alloc(g->mm.bar1.vm,