diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_vq.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_vq.c
index 8c8dcfebc753..4fad6585a8f3 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_vq.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_vq.c
@@ -299,17 +299,6 @@ retry:
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int virtio_gpu_queue_ctrl_buffer(struct virtio_gpu_device *vgdev,
-					struct virtio_gpu_vbuffer *vbuf)
-{
-	int rc;
-
-	spin_lock(&vgdev->ctrlq.qlock);
-	rc = virtio_gpu_queue_ctrl_buffer_locked(vgdev, vbuf);
-	spin_unlock(&vgdev->ctrlq.qlock);
-	return rc;
-}
-
 static int virtio_gpu_queue_fenced_ctrl_buffer(struct virtio_gpu_device *vgdev,
 					       struct virtio_gpu_vbuffer *vbuf,
 					       struct virtio_gpu_ctrl_hdr *hdr,
@@ -335,13 +324,19 @@ again:
 		goto again;
 	}
 
-	if (fence)
+	if (hdr && fence)
 		virtio_gpu_fence_emit(vgdev, hdr, fence);
 	rc = virtio_gpu_queue_ctrl_buffer_locked(vgdev, vbuf);
 	spin_unlock(&vgdev->ctrlq.qlock);
 	return rc;
 }
 
+static int virtio_gpu_queue_ctrl_buffer(struct virtio_gpu_device *vgdev,
+					struct virtio_gpu_vbuffer *vbuf)
+{
+	return virtio_gpu_queue_fenced_ctrl_buffer(vgdev, vbuf, NULL, NULL);
+}
+
 static int virtio_gpu_queue_cursor(struct virtio_gpu_device *vgdev,
 				   struct virtio_gpu_vbuffer *vbuf)
 {