diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_tc.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_tc.c
index e63cc1eb6d89..ed041c3f714f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_tc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_tc.c
@@ -1319,7 +1319,6 @@ static int otx2_tc_add_flow(struct otx2_nic *nic,
 
 free_leaf:
 	otx2_tc_del_from_flow_list(flow_cfg, new_node);
-	kfree_rcu(new_node, rcu);
 	if (new_node->is_act_police) {
 		mutex_lock(&nic->mbox.lock);
 
@@ -1339,6 +1338,7 @@ free_leaf:
 
 		mutex_unlock(&nic->mbox.lock);
 	}
+	kfree_rcu(new_node, rcu);
 
 	return rc;
 }