diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c b/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
index b8dea4ec123b..60cb4266e77f 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ static struct sync_file *sync_file_merge(const char *name, struct sync_file *a,
 	if (index == 0)
 		add_fence(fences, &index, dma_fence_get_stub());
 
-	if (num_fences > index) {
+	if (index && num_fences > index) {
 		struct dma_fence **tmp;
 
 		/* Keep going even when reducing the size failed */