diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext/ext.c
index 46f135bddd46..58898cd0727b 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext/ext.c
@@ -4580,20 +4580,25 @@ static struct cgroup *root_cgroup(void)
 	return &cgrp_dfl_root.cgrp;
 }
 
+/*
+ * cgroup_lock() must nest outside the rwsem write side: a writer waiting
+ * for cgroup_mutex deadlocks with cgroup teardown, which holds it while
+ * draining a set_* file write blocked on the rwsem behind the writer.
+ */
 static void scx_cgroup_lock(void)
 {
+	cgroup_lock();
 #ifdef CONFIG_EXT_GROUP_SCHED
 	percpu_down_write(&scx_cgroup_ops_rwsem);
 #endif
-	cgroup_lock();
 }
 
 static void scx_cgroup_unlock(void)
 {
-	cgroup_unlock();
 #ifdef CONFIG_EXT_GROUP_SCHED
 	percpu_up_write(&scx_cgroup_ops_rwsem);
 #endif
+	cgroup_unlock();
 }
 #else	/* CONFIG_EXT_GROUP_SCHED || CONFIG_EXT_SUB_SCHED */
 static inline struct cgroup *root_cgroup(void) { return NULL; }