diff --git a/drivers/misc/cxl/file.c b/drivers/misc/cxl/file.c
index e9f2f10dbb3734f3de4df60cdaed583415cfd831..b09be4462294e0f85f65fb0d8230ec98622f9be9 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/cxl/file.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/cxl/file.c
@@ -185,8 +185,10 @@ static long afu_ioctl_start_work(struct cxl_context *ctx,
 	ctx->pid = get_pid(get_task_pid(current, PIDTYPE_PID));
 
 	if ((rc = cxl_attach_process(ctx, false, work.work_element_descriptor,
-				     amr)))
+				     amr))) {
+		afu_release_irqs(ctx);
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	ctx->status = STARTED;
 	rc = 0;