diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/imon.c b/drivers/media/rc/imon.c
index b1a759e17484..02949597aaa6 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/imon.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/imon.c
@@ -598,6 +598,8 @@ static int send_packet(struct imon_context *ictx)
 	int retval = 0;
 	struct usb_ctrlrequest *control_req = NULL;
 
+	lockdep_assert_held(&ictx->lock);
+
 	/* Check if we need to use control or interrupt urb */
 	if (!ictx->tx_control) {
 		pipe = usb_sndintpipe(ictx->usbdev_intf0,
@@ -1126,7 +1128,7 @@ static int imon_ir_change_protocol(struct rc_dev *rc, u64 *rc_proto)
 	int retval;
 	struct imon_context *ictx = rc->priv;
 	struct device *dev = ictx->dev;
-	bool unlock = false;
+	const bool unlock = mutex_trylock(&ictx->lock);
 	unsigned char ir_proto_packet[] = {
 		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x86 };
 
@@ -1153,8 +1155,6 @@ static int imon_ir_change_protocol(struct rc_dev *rc, u64 *rc_proto)
 
 	memcpy(ictx->usb_tx_buf, &ir_proto_packet, sizeof(ir_proto_packet));
 
-	unlock = mutex_trylock(&ictx->lock);
-
 	retval = send_packet(ictx);
 	if (retval)
 		goto out;