diff --git a/lib/nvmf/vfio_user.c b/lib/nvmf/vfio_user.c
index ac8ae9081..5f9776734 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/vfio_user.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/vfio_user.c
@@ -1708,6 +1708,7 @@ nvmf_vfio_user_listen(struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport,
 	}
 	free(path);
 
+	endpoint->fd = fd;
 	err = ftruncate(fd, NVMF_VFIO_USER_DOORBELLS_OFFSET + NVMF_VFIO_USER_DOORBELLS_SIZE);
 	if (err != 0) {
 		goto out;
@@ -1721,8 +1722,6 @@ nvmf_vfio_user_listen(struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	endpoint->fd = fd;
-
 	snprintf(uuid, PATH_MAX, "%s/cntrl", endpoint_id(endpoint));
 
 	endpoint->vfu_ctx = vfu_create_ctx(VFU_TRANS_SOCK, uuid, LIBVFIO_USER_FLAG_ATTACH_NB,