diff --git a/drivers/char/xillybus/xillyusb.c b/drivers/char/xillybus/xillyusb.c
index 13dda738477c..9de4298209e7 100644
--- a/drivers/char/xillybus/xillyusb.c
+++ b/drivers/char/xillybus/xillyusb.c
@@ -1413,15 +1413,11 @@ static int xillyusb_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	if (filp->f_mode & FMODE_WRITE)
 		chan->open_for_write = 0;
 
-	mutex_unlock(&chan->lock);
-
-	kref_put(&xdev->kref, cleanup_dev);
-
-	return rc;
-
 unmutex_fail:
-	kref_put(&xdev->kref, cleanup_dev);
 	mutex_unlock(&chan->lock);
+
+	kref_put(&xdev->kref, cleanup_dev);
+
 	return rc;
 }