diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c b/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
index 2ca92a912510..d0f5e082a7d3 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
@@ -173,9 +173,10 @@ static struct fence **get_fences(struct sync_file *sync_file, int *num_fences)
 static void add_fence(struct fence **fences, int *i, struct fence *fence)
 {
 	fences[*i] = fence;
-
+	if (!fence_is_signaled(fence)) {
 		fence_get(fence);
 		(*i)++;
+	}
 }
 
 /**