diff --git a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
index faf6d2a..48cb620 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
@@ -540,16 +540,14 @@
         return false;
     }
 
-    EGLint attribs[] = {EGL_SYNC_NATIVE_FENCE_FD_ANDROID, fenceFd, EGL_NONE};
+    // release the fd and transfer the ownership to EGLSync
+    EGLint attribs[] = {EGL_SYNC_NATIVE_FENCE_FD_ANDROID, fenceFd.release(), EGL_NONE};
     EGLSyncKHR sync = eglCreateSyncKHR(mEGLDisplay, EGL_SYNC_NATIVE_FENCE_ANDROID, attribs);
     if (sync == EGL_NO_SYNC_KHR) {
         ALOGE("failed to create EGL native fence sync: %#x", eglGetError());
         return false;
     }
 
-    // fenceFd is now owned by EGLSync
-    (void)fenceFd.release();
-
     // XXX: The spec draft is inconsistent as to whether this should return an
     // EGLint or void.  Ignore the return value for now, as it's not strictly
     // needed.