diff --git a/fs/ext4/xattr.c b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
index fed5b01d7a8d..025701926f9a 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
@@ -988,6 +988,10 @@ ext4_xattr_set_handle(handle_t *handle, struct inode *inode, int name_index,
 	if (error)
 		goto cleanup;
 
+	error = ext4_journal_get_write_access(handle, is.iloc.bh);
+	if (error)
+		goto cleanup;
+
 	if (EXT4_I(inode)->i_state & EXT4_STATE_NEW) {
 		struct ext4_inode *raw_inode = ext4_raw_inode(&is.iloc);
 		memset(raw_inode, 0, EXT4_SB(inode->i_sb)->s_inode_size);
@@ -1013,9 +1017,6 @@ ext4_xattr_set_handle(handle_t *handle, struct inode *inode, int name_index,
 		if (flags & XATTR_CREATE)
 			goto cleanup;
 	}
-	error = ext4_journal_get_write_access(handle, is.iloc.bh);
-	if (error)
-		goto cleanup;
 	if (!value) {
 		if (!is.s.not_found)
 			error = ext4_xattr_ibody_set(handle, inode, &i, &is);