diff --git a/drivers/char/adsprpc.c b/drivers/char/adsprpc.c
index 0456fa1f2e24..1f1ded635450 100644
--- a/drivers/char/adsprpc.c
+++ b/drivers/char/adsprpc.c
@@ -1002,9 +1002,11 @@ static void fastrpc_mmap_free(struct fastrpc_mmap *map, uint32_t flags)
 	}
 	if (map->flags == ADSP_MMAP_HEAP_ADDR ||
 				map->flags == ADSP_MMAP_REMOTE_HEAP_ADDR) {
+		spin_lock(&me->hlock);
 		map->refs--;
 		if (!map->refs)
 			hlist_del_init(&map->hn);
+		spin_unlock(&me->hlock);
 		if (map->refs > 0) {
 			ADSPRPC_WARN(
 				"multiple references for remote heap size %zu va 0x%lx ref count is %d\n",