diff --git a/fs/nfs/direct.c b/fs/nfs/direct.c
index c61bd3fc723ee2ce295d7eea6aeb00e148986736..e5da9d7fb69e9ba9f75881c2782b89629a178c0f 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/direct.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/direct.c
@@ -600,6 +600,7 @@ ssize_t nfs_file_direct_read(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *iter)
 	l_ctx = nfs_get_lock_context(dreq->ctx);
 	if (IS_ERR(l_ctx)) {
 		result = PTR_ERR(l_ctx);
+		nfs_direct_req_release(dreq);
 		goto out_release;
 	}
 	dreq->l_ctx = l_ctx;
@@ -1023,6 +1024,7 @@ ssize_t nfs_file_direct_write(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *iter)
 	l_ctx = nfs_get_lock_context(dreq->ctx);
 	if (IS_ERR(l_ctx)) {
 		result = PTR_ERR(l_ctx);
+		nfs_direct_req_release(dreq);
 		goto out_release;
 	}
 	dreq->l_ctx = l_ctx;