diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c
index 5668860f0182..c12a6ac2d384 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/msm/msm_gem_submit.c
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ int msm_ioctl_gem_submit(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 	 * after the job is armed
 	 */
 	if ((args->flags & MSM_SUBMIT_FENCE_SN_IN) &&
-			idr_find(&queue->fence_idr, args->fence)) {
+			(!args->fence || idr_find(&queue->fence_idr, args->fence))) {
 		spin_unlock(&queue->idr_lock);
 		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto out;