diff --git a/drivers/staging/android/sync.c b/drivers/staging/android/sync.c
index b7fcaab0acea7289a87765ae3d106c5f20275c63..3d05f662110bb0d0d4718ed9a9a8408964eee5b2 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/android/sync.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/android/sync.c
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@ static void sync_timeline_free(struct kref *kref)
 void sync_timeline_destroy(struct sync_timeline *obj)
 {
 	obj->destroyed = true;
+	smp_wmb();
 
 	/*
-	 * If this is not the last reference, signal any children
-	 * that their parent is going away.
+	 * signal any children that their parent is going away.
 	 */
+	sync_timeline_signal(obj);
 
-	if (!kref_put(&obj->kref, sync_timeline_free))
-		sync_timeline_signal(obj);
+	kref_put(&obj->kref, sync_timeline_free);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(sync_timeline_destroy);