diff --git a/virtcontainers/persist/fs/fs.go b/virtcontainers/persist/fs/fs.go
index 8aca6fb9a1..ec3c59823b 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/persist/fs/fs.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/persist/fs/fs.go
@@ -139,10 +139,10 @@ func (fs *FS) ToDisk(ss persistapi.SandboxState, cs map[string]persistapi.Contai
 			return err
 		}
 
+		defer cf.Close()
 		if err := json.NewEncoder(cf).Encode(cstate); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		cf.Close()
 	}
 
 	return nil