diff --git a/server/sock.c b/server/sock.c
index 7b00cb3f4f4..2b85b2889f0 100644
--- a/server/sock.c
+++ b/server/sock.c
@@ -2289,9 +2289,6 @@ static void sock_ioctl( struct fd *fd, ioctl_code_t code, struct async *async )
             if (!send_len) return;
         }
 
-        if (!(req = mem_alloc( sizeof(*req) )))
-            return;
-
         sock->state = SOCK_CONNECTING;
 
         if (params->synchronous && sock->nonblocking)
@@ -2301,6 +2298,9 @@ static void sock_ioctl( struct fd *fd, ioctl_code_t code, struct async *async )
             return;
         }
 
+        if (!(req = mem_alloc( sizeof(*req) )))
+            return;
+
         req->async = (struct async *)grab_object( async );
         req->iosb = async_get_iosb( async );
         req->sock = (struct sock *)grab_object( sock );