diff --git a/io_uring/io_uring.c b/io_uring/io_uring.c
index 0a4efada9b3c..db623b3185c8 100644
--- a/io_uring/io_uring.c
+++ b/io_uring/io_uring.c
@@ -1765,17 +1765,12 @@ static __cold void io_drain_req(struct io_kiocb *req)
 	}
 	spin_unlock(&ctx->completion_lock);
 
-	ret = io_req_prep_async(req);
-	if (ret) {
-fail:
-		io_req_defer_failed(req, ret);
-		return;
-	}
 	io_prep_async_link(req);
 	de = kmalloc(sizeof(*de), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!de) {
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto fail;
+		io_req_defer_failed(req, ret);
+		return;
 	}
 
 	spin_lock(&ctx->completion_lock);
@@ -2048,13 +2043,16 @@ static void io_queue_sqe_fallback(struct io_kiocb *req)
 		req->flags &= ~REQ_F_HARDLINK;
 		req->flags |= REQ_F_LINK;
 		io_req_defer_failed(req, req->cqe.res);
-	} else if (unlikely(req->ctx->drain_active)) {
-		io_drain_req(req);
 	} else {
 		int ret = io_req_prep_async(req);
 
-		if (unlikely(ret))
+		if (unlikely(ret)) {
 			io_req_defer_failed(req, ret);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if (unlikely(req->ctx->drain_active))
+			io_drain_req(req);
 		else
 			io_queue_iowq(req, NULL);
 	}