diff --git a/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c b/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c
index 6f54501dc776..cb31ad917b35 100644
--- a/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c
+++ b/drivers/mailbox/mailbox.c
@@ -459,8 +459,8 @@ 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);