diff --git a/reactos/subsys/win32k/eng/surface.c b/reactos/subsys/win32k/eng/surface.c
index 72945c21b7b..c1a25896a19 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/win32k/eng/surface.c
+++ b/reactos/subsys/win32k/eng/surface.c
@@ -394,6 +394,8 @@ EngCreateDeviceSurface(IN DHSURF dhsurf,
   if (NewSurface == NULL)
 	return 0;
 
+  GDIOBJ_SetOwnership(NewSurface, NULL);
+
   BitmapObj = BITMAPOBJ_LockBitmap(NewSurface);
   if (! BITMAPOBJ_InitBitsLock(BitmapObj))
     {
@@ -403,8 +405,6 @@ EngCreateDeviceSurface(IN DHSURF dhsurf,
     }
   SurfObj = &BitmapObj->SurfObj;
 
-  GDIOBJ_SetOwnership(NewSurface, NULL);
-
   SurfObj->dhsurf = dhsurf;
   SurfObj->hsurf = NewSurface;
   SurfObj->sizlBitmap = Size;