diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_drv.h
index df27aba0926843..11a72d3521a8a1 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_drv.h
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ struct virtio_gpu_fence {
 	struct dma_fence f;
 	struct virtio_gpu_fence_driver *drv;
 	struct list_head node;
-	uint64_t seq;
 };
 #define to_virtio_fence(x) \
 	container_of(x, struct virtio_gpu_fence, f)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_fence.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_fence.c
index 87d1966192f410..72b4f7561432ff 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_fence.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_fence.c
@@ -40,16 +40,14 @@ bool virtio_fence_signaled(struct dma_fence *f)
 {
 	struct virtio_gpu_fence *fence = to_virtio_fence(f);
 
-	if (atomic64_read(&fence->drv->last_seq) >= fence->seq)
+	if (atomic64_read(&fence->drv->last_seq) >= fence->f.seqno)
 		return true;
 	return false;
 }
 
 static void virtio_fence_value_str(struct dma_fence *f, char *str, int size)
 {
-	struct virtio_gpu_fence *fence = to_virtio_fence(f);
-
-	snprintf(str, size, "%llu", fence->seq);
+	snprintf(str, size, "%llu", f->seqno);
 }
 
 static void virtio_timeline_value_str(struct dma_fence *f, char *str, int size)
@@ -76,6 +74,11 @@ struct virtio_gpu_fence *virtio_gpu_fence_alloc(struct virtio_gpu_device *vgdev)
 		return fence;
 
 	fence->drv = drv;
+
+	/* This only partially initializes the fence because the seqno is
+	 * unknown yet.  The fence must not be used outside of the driver
+	 * until virtio_gpu_fence_emit is called.
+	 */
 	dma_fence_init(&fence->f, &virtio_fence_ops, &drv->lock, drv->context, 0);
 
 	return fence;
@@ -89,13 +92,13 @@ int virtio_gpu_fence_emit(struct virtio_gpu_device *vgdev,
 	unsigned long irq_flags;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&drv->lock, irq_flags);
-	fence->seq = ++drv->sync_seq;
+	fence->f.seqno = ++drv->sync_seq;
 	dma_fence_get(&fence->f);
 	list_add_tail(&fence->node, &drv->fences);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&drv->lock, irq_flags);
 
 	cmd_hdr->flags |= cpu_to_le32(VIRTIO_GPU_FLAG_FENCE);
-	cmd_hdr->fence_id = cpu_to_le64(fence->seq);
+	cmd_hdr->fence_id = cpu_to_le64(fence->f.seqno);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -109,7 +112,7 @@ void virtio_gpu_fence_event_process(struct virtio_gpu_device *vgdev,
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&drv->lock, irq_flags);
 	atomic64_set(&vgdev->fence_drv.last_seq, last_seq);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(fence, tmp, &drv->fences, node) {
-		if (last_seq < fence->seq)
+		if (last_seq < fence->f.seqno)
 			continue;
 		dma_fence_signal_locked(&fence->f);
 		list_del(&fence->node);