diff --git a/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c b/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c
index f13d705f7861..cb59b4dbad62 100644
--- a/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c
+++ b/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c
@@ -500,8 +500,8 @@ void mbox_free_channel(struct mbox_chan *chan)
 	if (chan->txdone_method == TXDONE_BY_ACK)
 		chan->txdone_method = TXDONE_BY_POLL;
 
-	module_put(chan->mbox->dev->driver->owner);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chan->lock, flags);
+	module_put(chan->mbox->dev->driver->owner);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(mbox_free_channel);