diff --git a/pyopencl/mempool.py b/pyopencl/mempool.py
index 38c1056274cfa6d849663821581b347644727ab6..bd804799c95d921bd1aea60babf82f18c791200d 100644
--- a/pyopencl/mempool.py
+++ b/pyopencl/mempool.py
@@ -152,11 +152,6 @@ class MemoryPool(object):
         assert not (ones & head)
         return head | ones
 
-    def allocate(self):
-        pass
-
-    __call__ = allocate
-
     def stop_holding(self):
         self.stop_holding = True
         self.free_held()
@@ -225,6 +220,8 @@ class MemoryPool(object):
                 routine="memory_pool::allocate",
                 code=cl.status_code.MEM_OBJECT_ALLOCATION_FAILURE)
 
+    __call__ = allocate
+
     def free(self, buf, size):
         self.active_blocks -= 1
         bin_nr = self.bin_number(size)