diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/counters.c b/drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/counters.c
index 8300ce622835..b049bba21579 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/counters.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/counters.c
@@ -542,6 +542,7 @@ static int mlx5_ib_counter_bind_qp(struct rdma_counter *counter,
 				   struct ib_qp *qp)
 {
 	struct mlx5_ib_dev *dev = to_mdev(qp->device);
+	bool new = false;
 	int err;
 
 	if (!counter->id) {
@@ -556,6 +557,7 @@ static int mlx5_ib_counter_bind_qp(struct rdma_counter *counter,
 			return err;
 		counter->id =
 			MLX5_GET(alloc_q_counter_out, out, counter_set_id);
+		new = true;
 	}
 
 	err = mlx5_ib_qp_set_counter(qp, counter);
@@ -565,8 +567,10 @@ static int mlx5_ib_counter_bind_qp(struct rdma_counter *counter,
 	return 0;
 
 fail_set_counter:
-	mlx5_ib_counter_dealloc(counter);
-	counter->id = 0;
+	if (new) {
+		mlx5_ib_counter_dealloc(counter);
+		counter->id = 0;
+	}
 
 	return err;
 }