diff --git a/src/system/kernel/elf.c b/src/system/kernel/elf.c
index a35af31b39..2af6bbd51e 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/elf.c
+++ b/src/system/kernel/elf.c
@@ -1382,11 +1382,10 @@ load_kernel_add_on(const char *path)
 		load_elf_symbol_table(fd, image);
 
 	free(pheaders);
-	_kern_close(fd);
-
 	register_elf_image(image);
 
 done:
+	_kern_close(fd);
 	mutex_unlock(&sImageLoadMutex);
 
 	return image->id;