diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c
index fd9ded771d0152ce2f0814123da875a5000a23a4..b291f1301c93868f8caf253448d8e8cbe46273d4 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_overlay.c
@@ -242,14 +242,14 @@ static int intel_overlay_on(struct intel_overlay *overlay)
 	int ret;
 
 	WARN_ON(overlay->active);
-	overlay->active = true;
-
 	WARN_ON(IS_I830(dev) && !(dev_priv->quirks & QUIRK_PIPEA_FORCE));
 
 	ret = intel_ring_begin(ring, 4);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	overlay->active = true;
+
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, MI_OVERLAY_FLIP | MI_OVERLAY_ON);
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, overlay->flip_addr | OFC_UPDATE);
 	intel_ring_emit(ring, MI_WAIT_FOR_EVENT | MI_WAIT_FOR_OVERLAY_FLIP);