diff --git a/drivers/virtio/virtio_magma.c b/drivers/virtio/virtio_magma.c
index f2acf12..1c3978f 100644
--- a/drivers/virtio/virtio_magma.c
+++ b/drivers/virtio/virtio_magma.c
@@ -729,10 +729,16 @@ static int virtmagma_command_magma_release_context(
 
 	object = get_connection_object(connection, request->context_id,
 				       MAGMA_CONTEXT);
-	if (!object)
-		return -EINVAL;
 
+	// Send the call even if bad context_id; tests check that magma error
+	// is set.
 	ret = vq_out_send_sync(instance->vi, command);
+
+	if (object) {
+		hash_del(&object->node);
+		kfree(object);
+	}
+
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
@@ -740,9 +746,6 @@ static int virtmagma_command_magma_release_context(
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	hash_del(&object->node);
-	kfree(object);
-
 	return 0;
 }