diff --git a/virt/kvm/eventfd.c b/virt/kvm/eventfd.c
index 66cf65b510b11c..c1f1e3c6298462 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/eventfd.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/eventfd.c
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@ kvm_irqfd_assign(struct kvm *kvm, int fd, int gsi)
 	events = file->f_op->poll(file, &irqfd->pt);
 
 	list_add_tail(&irqfd->list, &kvm->irqfds.items);
-	spin_unlock_irq(&kvm->irqfds.lock);
 
 	/*
 	 * Check if there was an event already pending on the eventfd
@@ -227,6 +226,8 @@ kvm_irqfd_assign(struct kvm *kvm, int fd, int gsi)
 	if (events & POLLIN)
 		schedule_work(&irqfd->inject);
 
+	spin_unlock_irq(&kvm->irqfds.lock);
+
 	/*
 	 * do not drop the file until the irqfd is fully initialized, otherwise
 	 * we might race against the POLLHUP