diff --git a/net/atm/resources.c b/net/atm/resources.c
index 04b2235c5c26..e244c2576d1e 100644
--- a/net/atm/resources.c
+++ b/net/atm/resources.c
@@ -148,11 +148,10 @@ void atm_dev_deregister(struct atm_dev *dev)
 	 */
 	mutex_lock(&atm_dev_mutex);
 	list_del(&dev->dev_list);
-	mutex_unlock(&atm_dev_mutex);
-
 	atm_dev_release_vccs(dev);
 	atm_unregister_sysfs(dev);
 	atm_proc_dev_deregister(dev);
+	mutex_unlock(&atm_dev_mutex);
 
 	atm_dev_put(dev);
 }