diff --git a/render/allocator/gbm.c b/render/allocator/gbm.c
index ca16177d1..fadfac9f8 100644
--- a/render/allocator/gbm.c
+++ b/render/allocator/gbm.c
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ static struct wlr_gbm_buffer *create_buffer(struct wlr_gbm_allocator *alloc,
 	}
 	wlr_buffer_init(&buffer->base, &buffer_impl, width, height);
 	buffer->gbm_bo = bo;
-	wl_list_insert(&alloc->buffers, &buffer->link);
 
 	if (!export_gbm_bo(bo, &buffer->dmabuf)) {
 		free(buffer);
@@ -112,6 +111,8 @@ static struct wlr_gbm_buffer *create_buffer(struct wlr_gbm_allocator *alloc,
 		buffer->dmabuf.modifier = fallback_modifier;
 	}
 
+	wl_list_insert(&alloc->buffers, &buffer->link);
+
 	char *format_name = drmGetFormatName(buffer->dmabuf.format);
 	char *modifier_name = drmGetFormatModifierName(buffer->dmabuf.modifier);
 	wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Allocated %dx%d GBM buffer "