diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/d3d12/d3d12_screen.cpp b/src/gallium/drivers/d3d12/d3d12_screen.cpp
index 4beb11c33ec..89f6b2cb8cf 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/d3d12/d3d12_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/d3d12/d3d12_screen.cpp
@@ -1219,10 +1219,9 @@ d3d12_get_node_mask(struct pipe_screen *pscreen)
 static void
 d3d12_create_fence_win32(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct pipe_fence_handle **pfence, void *handle, const void *name, enum pipe_fd_type type)
 {
-   d3d12_fence_reference((struct d3d12_fence **)pfence,
-                         type == PIPE_FD_TYPE_TIMELINE_SEMAPHORE ?
-                           d3d12_open_fence(d3d12_screen(pscreen), handle, name) :
-                           nullptr);
+   d3d12_fence_reference((struct d3d12_fence **)pfence, nullptr);
+   if(type == PIPE_FD_TYPE_TIMELINE_SEMAPHORE)
+      *pfence = (struct pipe_fence_handle*) d3d12_open_fence(d3d12_screen(pscreen), handle, name);
 }
 
 static void