diff --git a/net/qrtr/qrtr.c b/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
index f413384bcccf..57469f4898b9 100644
--- a/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
+++ b/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
@@ -1656,19 +1656,16 @@ static int qrtr_recvmsg(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg,
 	struct qrtr_cb *cb;
 	int copied, rc;
 
-	lock_sock(sk);
 
-	if (sock_flag(sk, SOCK_ZAPPED)) {
-		release_sock(sk);
+	if (sock_flag(sk, SOCK_ZAPPED))
 		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
-	}
 
 	skb = skb_recv_datagram(sk, flags & ~MSG_DONTWAIT,
 				flags & MSG_DONTWAIT, &rc);
-	if (!skb) {
-		release_sock(sk);
+	if (!skb)
 		return rc;
-	}
+
+	lock_sock(sk);
 	cb = (struct qrtr_cb *)skb->cb;
 
 	copied = skb->len;