diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c
index 26c065c8d2c0..a0c7cbc212ba 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/huge_pages.c
@@ -972,7 +972,6 @@ static int gpu_write(struct i915_vma *vma,
 {
 	struct i915_request *rq;
 	struct i915_vma *batch;
-	int flags = 0;
 	int err;
 
 	GEM_BUG_ON(!intel_engine_can_store_dword(engine));
@@ -981,14 +980,14 @@ static int gpu_write(struct i915_vma *vma,
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	rq = i915_request_alloc(engine, ctx);
-	if (IS_ERR(rq))
-		return PTR_ERR(rq);
-
 	batch = gpu_write_dw(vma, dword * sizeof(u32), value);
-	if (IS_ERR(batch)) {
-		err = PTR_ERR(batch);
-		goto err_request;
+	if (IS_ERR(batch))
+		return PTR_ERR(batch);
+
+	rq = i915_request_alloc(engine, ctx);
+	if (IS_ERR(rq)) {
+		err = PTR_ERR(rq);
+		goto err_batch;
 	}
 
 	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(batch, rq, 0);
@@ -996,21 +995,21 @@ static int gpu_write(struct i915_vma *vma,
 		goto err_request;
 
 	i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(batch->obj);
-	i915_vma_unpin(batch);
-	i915_vma_close(batch);
 
-	err = engine->emit_bb_start(rq,
-				    batch->node.start, batch->node.size,
-				    flags);
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
 	if (err)
 		goto err_request;
 
-	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, EXEC_OBJECT_WRITE);
+	err = engine->emit_bb_start(rq,
+				    batch->node.start, batch->node.size,
+				    0);
+err_request:
 	if (err)
 		i915_request_skip(rq, err);
-
-err_request:
 	i915_request_add(rq);
+err_batch:
+	i915_vma_unpin(batch);
+	i915_vma_close(batch);
 
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c
index a48fbe2557ea..b767fab9ce1f 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_hangcheck.c
@@ -102,52 +102,87 @@ static u64 hws_address(const struct i915_vma *hws,
 	return hws->node.start + offset_in_page(sizeof(u32)*rq->fence.context);
 }
 
-static int emit_recurse_batch(struct hang *h,
-			      struct i915_request *rq)
+static int move_to_active(struct i915_vma *vma,
+			  struct i915_request *rq,
+			  unsigned int flags)
+{
+	int err;
+
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+
+	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(vma->obj)) {
+		i915_gem_object_get(vma->obj);
+		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(vma->obj);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static struct i915_request *
+hang_create_request(struct hang *h, struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
 {
 	struct drm_i915_private *i915 = h->i915;
 	struct i915_address_space *vm =
-		rq->gem_context->ppgtt ?
-		&rq->gem_context->ppgtt->vm :
-		&i915->ggtt.vm;
+		h->ctx->ppgtt ? &h->ctx->ppgtt->vm : &i915->ggtt.vm;
+	struct i915_request *rq = NULL;
 	struct i915_vma *hws, *vma;
 	unsigned int flags;
 	u32 *batch;
 	int err;
 
+	if (i915_gem_object_is_active(h->obj)) {
+		struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj;
+		void *vaddr;
+
+		obj = i915_gem_object_create_internal(h->i915, PAGE_SIZE);
+		if (IS_ERR(obj))
+			return ERR_CAST(obj);
+
+		vaddr = i915_gem_object_pin_map(obj,
+						i915_coherent_map_type(h->i915));
+		if (IS_ERR(vaddr)) {
+			i915_gem_object_put(obj);
+			return ERR_CAST(vaddr);
+		}
+
+		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(h->obj);
+		i915_gem_object_put(h->obj);
+
+		h->obj = obj;
+		h->batch = vaddr;
+	}
+
 	vma = i915_vma_instance(h->obj, vm, NULL);
 	if (IS_ERR(vma))
-		return PTR_ERR(vma);
+		return ERR_CAST(vma);
 
 	hws = i915_vma_instance(h->hws, vm, NULL);
 	if (IS_ERR(hws))
-		return PTR_ERR(hws);
+		return ERR_CAST(hws);
 
 	err = i915_vma_pin(vma, 0, 0, PIN_USER);
 	if (err)
-		return err;
+		return ERR_PTR(err);
 
 	err = i915_vma_pin(hws, 0, 0, PIN_USER);
 	if (err)
 		goto unpin_vma;
 
-	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
-	if (err)
+	rq = i915_request_alloc(engine, h->ctx);
+	if (IS_ERR(rq)) {
+		err = PTR_ERR(rq);
 		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);
 	}
 
-	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	err = move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
 	if (err)
-		goto unpin_hws;
+		goto cancel_rq;
 
-	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(hws->obj)) {
-		i915_gem_object_get(hws->obj);
-		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(hws->obj);
-	}
+	err = move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto cancel_rq;
 
 	batch = h->batch;
 	if (INTEL_GEN(i915) >= 8) {
@@ -212,52 +247,16 @@ static int emit_recurse_batch(struct hang *h,
 
 	err = rq->engine->emit_bb_start(rq, vma->node.start, PAGE_SIZE, flags);
 
+cancel_rq:
+	if (err) {
+		i915_request_skip(rq, err);
+		i915_request_add(rq);
+	}
 unpin_hws:
 	i915_vma_unpin(hws);
 unpin_vma:
 	i915_vma_unpin(vma);
-	return err;
-}
-
-static struct i915_request *
-hang_create_request(struct hang *h, struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
-{
-	struct i915_request *rq;
-	int err;
-
-	if (i915_gem_object_is_active(h->obj)) {
-		struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj;
-		void *vaddr;
-
-		obj = i915_gem_object_create_internal(h->i915, PAGE_SIZE);
-		if (IS_ERR(obj))
-			return ERR_CAST(obj);
-
-		vaddr = i915_gem_object_pin_map(obj,
-						i915_coherent_map_type(h->i915));
-		if (IS_ERR(vaddr)) {
-			i915_gem_object_put(obj);
-			return ERR_CAST(vaddr);
-		}
-
-		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(h->obj);
-		i915_gem_object_put(h->obj);
-
-		h->obj = obj;
-		h->batch = vaddr;
-	}
-
-	rq = i915_request_alloc(engine, h->ctx);
-	if (IS_ERR(rq))
-		return rq;
-
-	err = emit_recurse_batch(h, rq);
-	if (err) {
-		i915_request_add(rq);
-		return ERR_PTR(err);
-	}
-
-	return rq;
+	return err ? ERR_PTR(err) : rq;
 }
 
 static u32 hws_seqno(const struct hang *h, const struct i915_request *rq)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c
index 94fc0e5c8766..80f881423c41 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/intel_lrc.c
@@ -80,48 +80,65 @@ static u64 hws_address(const struct i915_vma *hws,
 	return hws->node.start + seqno_offset(rq->fence.context);
 }
 
-static int emit_recurse_batch(struct spinner *spin,
-			      struct i915_request *rq,
-			      u32 arbitration_command)
+static int move_to_active(struct i915_vma *vma,
+			  struct i915_request *rq,
+			  unsigned int flags)
 {
-	struct i915_address_space *vm = &rq->gem_context->ppgtt->vm;
+	int err;
+
+	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+
+	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(vma->obj)) {
+		i915_gem_object_get(vma->obj);
+		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(vma->obj);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static struct i915_request *
+spinner_create_request(struct spinner *spin,
+		       struct i915_gem_context *ctx,
+		       struct intel_engine_cs *engine,
+		       u32 arbitration_command)
+{
+	struct i915_address_space *vm = &ctx->ppgtt->vm;
+	struct i915_request *rq = NULL;
 	struct i915_vma *hws, *vma;
 	u32 *batch;
 	int err;
 
 	vma = i915_vma_instance(spin->obj, vm, NULL);
 	if (IS_ERR(vma))
-		return PTR_ERR(vma);
+		return ERR_CAST(vma);
 
 	hws = i915_vma_instance(spin->hws, vm, NULL);
 	if (IS_ERR(hws))
-		return PTR_ERR(hws);
+		return ERR_CAST(hws);
 
 	err = i915_vma_pin(vma, 0, 0, PIN_USER);
 	if (err)
-		return err;
+		return ERR_PTR(err);
 
 	err = i915_vma_pin(hws, 0, 0, PIN_USER);
 	if (err)
 		goto unpin_vma;
 
-	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
-	if (err)
+	rq = i915_request_alloc(engine, ctx);
+	if (IS_ERR(rq)) {
+		err = PTR_ERR(rq);
 		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);
 	}
 
-	err = i915_vma_move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	err = move_to_active(vma, rq, 0);
 	if (err)
-		goto unpin_hws;
+		goto cancel_rq;
 
-	if (!i915_gem_object_has_active_reference(hws->obj)) {
-		i915_gem_object_get(hws->obj);
-		i915_gem_object_set_active_reference(hws->obj);
-	}
+	err = move_to_active(hws, rq, 0);
+	if (err)
+		goto cancel_rq;
 
 	batch = spin->batch;
 
@@ -139,35 +156,18 @@ static int emit_recurse_batch(struct spinner *spin,
 
 	i915_gem_chipset_flush(spin->i915);
 
-	err = rq->engine->emit_bb_start(rq, vma->node.start, PAGE_SIZE, 0);
+	err = engine->emit_bb_start(rq, vma->node.start, PAGE_SIZE, 0);
 
+cancel_rq:
+	if (err) {
+		i915_request_skip(rq, err);
+		i915_request_add(rq);
+	}
 unpin_hws:
 	i915_vma_unpin(hws);
 unpin_vma:
 	i915_vma_unpin(vma);
-	return err;
-}
-
-static struct i915_request *
-spinner_create_request(struct spinner *spin,
-		       struct i915_gem_context *ctx,
-		       struct intel_engine_cs *engine,
-		       u32 arbitration_command)
-{
-	struct i915_request *rq;
-	int err;
-
-	rq = i915_request_alloc(engine, ctx);
-	if (IS_ERR(rq))
-		return rq;
-
-	err = emit_recurse_batch(spin, rq, arbitration_command);
-	if (err) {
-		i915_request_add(rq);
-		return ERR_PTR(err);
-	}
-
-	return rq;
+	return err ? ERR_PTR(err) : rq;
 }
 
 static u32 hws_seqno(const struct spinner *spin, const struct i915_request *rq)
