diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ref-verify.c b/fs/btrfs/ref-verify.c
index bd3bb94cc56b..c3711598a9be 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ref-verify.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ref-verify.c
@@ -899,8 +899,10 @@ int btrfs_ref_tree_mod(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 out_unlock:
 	spin_unlock(&fs_info->ref_verify_lock);
 out:
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		btrfs_free_ref_cache(fs_info);
 		btrfs_clear_opt(fs_info->mount_opt, REF_VERIFY);
+	}
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1029,8 +1031,8 @@ int btrfs_build_ref_tree(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info)
 		}
 	}
 	if (ret) {
-		btrfs_clear_opt(fs_info->mount_opt, REF_VERIFY);
 		btrfs_free_ref_cache(fs_info);
+		btrfs_clear_opt(fs_info->mount_opt, REF_VERIFY);
 	}
 	btrfs_free_path(path);
 	return ret;