diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_cpdma.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_cpdma.c
index 3b5c4571b55e3c922a4b6e5a94a0a4a8adcb2fce..d15c888e9df8a15b02d104ace349c1926ad81107 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_cpdma.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_cpdma.c
@@ -538,11 +538,12 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(cpdma_chan_create);
 
 int cpdma_chan_destroy(struct cpdma_chan *chan)
 {
-	struct cpdma_ctlr *ctlr = chan->ctlr;
+	struct cpdma_ctlr *ctlr;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	if (!chan)
 		return -EINVAL;
+	ctlr = chan->ctlr;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&ctlr->lock, flags);
 	if (chan->state != CPDMA_STATE_IDLE)