diff --git a/ciao-controller/internal/datastore/datastore.go b/ciao-controller/internal/datastore/datastore.go
index 867515b53..ca3f8409a 100644
--- a/ciao-controller/internal/datastore/datastore.go
+++ b/ciao-controller/internal/datastore/datastore.go
@@ -1503,12 +1503,6 @@ func (ds *Datastore) CreateStorageAttachment(instanceID string, blockID string,
 		Ephemeral:  ephemeral,
 	}
 
-	// add it to our links map
-	ds.attachLock.Lock()
-	ds.attachments[a.ID] = a
-	ds.instanceVolumes[link] = a.ID
-	ds.attachLock.Unlock()
-
 	err := ds.db.createStorageAttachment(a)
 	if err != nil {
 		return types.StorageAttachment{}, fmt.Errorf("error creating storage attachment: %v", err)
@@ -1528,6 +1522,12 @@ func (ds *Datastore) CreateStorageAttachment(instanceID string, blockID string,
 		return types.StorageAttachment{}, fmt.Errorf("error creating storage attachment: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	// add it to our links map
+	ds.attachLock.Lock()
+	ds.attachments[a.ID] = a
+	ds.instanceVolumes[link] = a.ID
+	ds.attachLock.Unlock()
+
 	return a, nil
 }