diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/klnds/o2iblnd/o2iblnd_cb.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/klnds/o2iblnd/o2iblnd_cb.c
index 9eb1db649afb..19c90fcceb0d 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/klnds/o2iblnd/o2iblnd_cb.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/klnds/o2iblnd/o2iblnd_cb.c
@@ -2526,9 +2526,9 @@ kiblnd_passive_connect(struct rdma_cm_id *cmid, void *priv, int priv_nob)
 
  failed:
 	if (ni) {
-		lnet_ni_decref(ni);
 		rej.ibr_cp.ibcp_queue_depth = kiblnd_msg_queue_size(version, ni);
 		rej.ibr_cp.ibcp_max_frags = kiblnd_rdma_frags(version, ni);
+		lnet_ni_decref(ni);
 	}
 
 	rej.ibr_version             = version;