diff --git a/net/mac80211/mesh_plink.c b/net/mac80211/mesh_plink.c
index 8cc8461..ae026ac 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/mesh_plink.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/mesh_plink.c
@@ -346,6 +346,15 @@
 
 	sta = sta_info_get(sdata, addr);
 	if (!sta) {
+		/* Userspace handles peer allocation when security is enabled */
+		if (sdata->u.mesh.security & IEEE80211_MESH_SEC_AUTHED) {
+			cfg80211_notify_new_peer_candidate(sdata->dev, addr,
+							   elems->ie_start,
+							   elems->total_len,
+							   GFP_ATOMIC);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+
 		sta = mesh_plink_alloc(sdata, addr);
 		if (!sta)
 			return NULL;
@@ -387,15 +396,6 @@
 {
 	struct sta_info *sta;
 
-	/* Userspace handles peer allocation when security is enabled */
-	if (sdata->u.mesh.security & IEEE80211_MESH_SEC_AUTHED) {
-		cfg80211_notify_new_peer_candidate(sdata->dev, hw_addr,
-						   elems->ie_start,
-						   elems->total_len,
-						   GFP_KERNEL);
-		return;
-	}
-
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	sta = mesh_peer_init(sdata, hw_addr, elems);
 	if (!sta)