diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c
index cc7c5b4a05fd875413593686ff42470017e8e50f..7aac9384600ed43863ded2165441c731886c36de 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau_drm.c
@@ -137,10 +137,16 @@ nouveau_name(struct drm_device *dev)
 static inline bool
 nouveau_cli_work_ready(struct dma_fence *fence)
 {
-	if (!dma_fence_is_signaled(fence))
-		return false;
-	dma_fence_put(fence);
-	return true;
+	bool ret = true;
+
+	spin_lock_irq(fence->lock);
+	if (!dma_fence_is_signaled_locked(fence))
+		ret = false;
+	spin_unlock_irq(fence->lock);
+
+	if (ret == true)
+		dma_fence_put(fence);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static void