diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gvt/scheduler.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gvt/scheduler.c
index 928818f218f7..b0e566956b8d 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gvt/scheduler.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gvt/scheduler.c
@@ -476,7 +476,11 @@ static int prepare_shadow_batch_buffer(struct intel_vgpu_workload *workload)
 			i915_gem_obj_finish_shmem_access(bb->obj);
 			bb->accessing = false;
 
-			i915_vma_move_to_active(bb->vma, workload->req, 0);
+			ret = i915_vma_move_to_active(bb->vma,
+						      workload->req,
+						      0);
+			if (ret)
+				goto err;
 		}
 	}
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h
index ce7d06332884..cd8f69a00e86 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_drv.h
@@ -3099,9 +3099,9 @@ i915_gem_obj_finish_shmem_access(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj)
 }
 
 int __must_check i915_mutex_lock_interruptible(struct drm_device *dev);
-void i915_vma_move_to_active(struct i915_vma *vma,
-			     struct i915_request *rq,
-			     unsigned int flags);
+int __must_check i915_vma_move_to_active(struct i915_vma *vma,
+					 struct i915_request *rq,
+					 unsigned int flags);
 int i915_gem_dumb_create(struct drm_file *file_priv,
 			 struct drm_device *dev,
 			 struct drm_mode_create_dumb *args);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_execbuffer.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_execbuffer.c
index 91f20445147f..97136e4ce91d 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_execbuffer.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_execbuffer.c
@@ -1165,12 +1165,16 @@ static int __reloc_gpu_alloc(struct i915_execbuffer *eb,
 		goto err_request;
 
 	GEM_BUG_ON(!reservation_object_test_signaled_rcu(batch->resv, true));
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, rq, 0);
-	i915_vma_unpin(batch);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto skip_request;
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	if (err)
+		goto skip_request;
 
 	rq->batch = batch;
+	i915_vma_unpin(batch);
 
 	cache->rq = rq;
 	cache->rq_cmd = cmd;
@@ -1179,6 +1183,8 @@ static int __reloc_gpu_alloc(struct i915_execbuffer *eb,
 	/* Return with batch mapping (cmd) still pinned */
 	return 0;
 
+skip_request:
+	i915_request_skip(rq, err);
 err_request:
 	i915_request_add(rq);
 err_unpin:
@@ -1818,7 +1824,11 @@ static int eb_move_to_gpu(struct i915_execbuffer *eb)
 		unsigned int flags = eb->flags[i];
 		struct i915_vma *vma = eb->vma[i];
 
-		i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, eb->request, flags);
+		err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, eb->request, flags);
+		if (unlikely(err)) {
+			i915_request_skip(eb->request, err);
+			return err;
+		}
 
 		__eb_unreserve_vma(vma, flags);
 		vma->exec_flags = NULL;
@@ -1877,9 +1887,9 @@ static void export_fence(struct i915_vma *vma,
 	reservation_object_unlock(resv);
 }
 
-void i915_vma_move_to_active(struct i915_vma *vma,
-			     struct i915_request *rq,
-			     unsigned int flags)
+int i915_vma_move_to_active(struct i915_vma *vma,
+			    struct i915_request *rq,
+			    unsigned int flags)
 {
 	struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj = vma->obj;
 	const unsigned int idx = rq->engine->id;
@@ -1916,6 +1926,7 @@ void i915_vma_move_to_active(struct i915_vma *vma,
 		i915_gem_active_set(&vma->last_fence, rq);
 
 	export_fence(vma, rq, flags);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int i915_reset_gen7_sol_offsets(struct i915_request *rq)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_render_state.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_render_state.c
index 3210cedfa46c..90baf9086d0a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_render_state.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gem_render_state.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ int i915_gem_render_state_emit(struct i915_request *rq)
 			goto err_unpin;
 	}
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(so.vma, rq, 0);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(so.vma, rq, 0);
 err_unpin:
 	i915_vma_unpin(so.vma);
 err_vma:
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c
index 358fc81f6c99..d33e20940e0a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c
@@ -985,7 +985,10 @@ static int gpu_write(struct i915_vma *vma,
 		goto err_request;
 	}
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, rq, 0);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto err_request;
+
 	i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(batch->obj);
 	i915_vma_unpin(batch);
 	i915_vma_close(batch);
@@ -996,7 +999,9 @@ static int gpu_write(struct i915_vma *vma,
 	if (err)
 		goto err_request;
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	if (err)
+		i915_request_skip(rq, err);
 
 err_request:
 	i915_request_add(rq);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_coherency.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_coherency.c
index 11427aae0853..328585459c67 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_coherency.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_coherency.c
@@ -222,12 +222,12 @@ static int gpu_set(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj,
 	}
 	intel_ring_advance(rq, cs);
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
 	i915_vma_unpin(vma);
 
 	i915_request_add(rq);
 
-	return 0;
+	return err;
 }
 
 static bool always_valid(struct drm_i915_private *i915)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_context.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_context.c
index 81ed87aa0a4d..da43f0a99eb2 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_context.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_context.c
@@ -170,18 +170,26 @@ static int gpu_fill(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj,
 	if (err)
 		goto err_request;
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, rq, 0);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto skip_request;
+
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	if (err)
+		goto skip_request;
+
 	i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(batch->obj);
 	i915_vma_unpin(batch);
 	i915_vma_close(batch);
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
 	i915_vma_unpin(vma);
 
 	i915_request_add(rq);
 
 	return 0;
 
+skip_request:
+	i915_request_skip(rq, err);
 err_request:
 	i915_request_add(rq);
 err_batch:
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_object.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_object.c
index fa5a0654314a..7d0ddef1519b 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_object.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_gem_object.c
@@ -454,13 +454,14 @@ static int make_obj_busy(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj)
 		return PTR_ERR(rq);
 	}
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
 
 	i915_request_add(rq);
 
-	i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(obj);
+	__i915_gem_object_release_unless_active(obj);
 	i915_vma_unpin(vma);
-	return 0;
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 static bool assert_mmap_offset(struct drm_i915_private *i915,
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_request.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_request.c
index 521ae4a90ddf..c27f77a24ce0 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_request.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_request.c
@@ -678,7 +678,9 @@ static int live_all_engines(void *arg)
 			i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(batch->obj);
 		}
 
-		i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, request[id], 0);
+		err = i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, request[id], 0);
+		GEM_BUG_ON(err);
+
 		i915_request_get(request[id]);
 		i915_request_add(request[id]);
 	}
@@ -788,7 +790,9 @@ static int live_sequential_engines(void *arg)
 		GEM_BUG_ON(err);
 		request[id]->batch = batch;
 
-		i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, request[id], 0);
+		err = i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, request[id], 0);
+		GEM_BUG_ON(err);
+
 		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(batch->obj);
 		i915_vma_get(batch);
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c
index fe7d3190ebfe..e11df2743704 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c
@@ -130,13 +130,19 @@ static int emit_recurse_batch(struct hang *h,
 	if (err)
 		goto unpin_vma;
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto unpin_hws;
+
 	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(vma->obj)) {
 		i915_gem_object_get(vma->obj);
 		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(vma->obj);
 	}
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto unpin_hws;
+
 	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(hws->obj)) {
 		i915_gem_object_get(hws->obj);
 		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(hws->obj);
@@ -205,6 +211,7 @@ static int emit_recurse_batch(struct hang *h,
 
 	err = rq->engine->emit_bb_start(rq, vma->node.start, PAGE_SIZE, flags);
 
+unpin_hws:
 	i915_vma_unpin(hws);
 unpin_vma:
 	i915_vma_unpin(vma);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c
index ea27c7cfbf96..b34f7ac6631e 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c
@@ -104,13 +104,19 @@ static int emit_recurse_batch(struct spinner *spin,
 	if (err)
 		goto unpin_vma;
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto unpin_hws;
+
 	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(vma->obj)) {
 		i915_gem_object_get(vma->obj);
 		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(vma->obj);
 	}
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto unpin_hws;
+
 	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(hws->obj)) {
 		i915_gem_object_get(hws->obj);
 		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(hws->obj);
@@ -134,6 +140,7 @@ static int emit_recurse_batch(struct spinner *spin,
 
 	err = rq->engine->emit_bb_start(rq, vma->node.start, PAGE_SIZE, 0);
 
+unpin_hws:
 	i915_vma_unpin(hws);
 unpin_vma:
 	i915_vma_unpin(vma);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_workarounds.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_workarounds.c
index e1ea2d2bedd2..c100153cb494 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_workarounds.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_workarounds.c
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ read_nonprivs(struct i915_gem_context *ctx, struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
 		goto err_pin;
 	}
 
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	if (err)
+		goto err_req;
+
 	srm = MI_STORE_REGISTER_MEM | MI_SRM_LRM_GLOBAL_GTT;
 	if (INTEL_GEN(ctx->i915) >= 8)
 		srm++;
@@ -67,7 +71,6 @@ read_nonprivs(struct i915_gem_context *ctx, struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
 	}
 	intel_ring_advance(rq, cs);
 
-	i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
 	reservation_object_lock(vma->resv, NULL);
 	reservation_object_add_excl_fence(vma->resv, &rq->fence);
 	reservation_object_unlock(vma->resv);
