diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c b/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c
index 4814550880a3..8428b4edeb80 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c
@@ -2539,11 +2539,12 @@ static int __init init_nfsd(void)
 {
 	int retval;
 
-	nfsd_debugfs_init();
-
 	retval = nfsd4_init_slabs();
 	if (retval)
 		return retval;
+
+	nfsd_debugfs_init();
+
 	retval = nfsd4_init_pnfs();
 	if (retval)
 		goto out_free_slabs;
@@ -2588,8 +2589,8 @@ static int __init init_nfsd(void)
 out_free_pnfs:
 	nfsd4_exit_pnfs();
 out_free_slabs:
-	nfsd4_free_slabs();
 	nfsd_debugfs_exit();
+	nfsd4_free_slabs();
 	return retval;
 }
 
@@ -2604,9 +2605,9 @@ static void __exit exit_nfsd(void)
 	unregister_pernet_subsys(&nfsd_net_ops);
 	nfsd_drc_slab_free();
 	nfsd_lockd_shutdown();
-	nfsd4_free_slabs();
 	nfsd4_exit_pnfs();
 	nfsd_debugfs_exit();
+	nfsd4_free_slabs();
 }
 
 MODULE_AUTHOR("Olaf Kirch <okir@monad.swb.de>");