diff --git a/fs/dlm/midcomms.c b/fs/dlm/midcomms.c
index a5b363b4785f..6b522d4e2b7e 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/midcomms.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/midcomms.c
@@ -969,10 +969,10 @@ static void midcomms_new_msg_cb(void *data)
 	atomic_inc(&mh->node->send_queue_cnt);
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&mh->node->send_queue_lock);
+	/* need to be locked with list_add_tail_rcu() because list is ordered */
+	mh->seq = atomic_fetch_inc(&mh->node->seq_send);
 	list_add_tail_rcu(&mh->list, &mh->node->send_queue);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&mh->node->send_queue_lock);
-
-	mh->seq = atomic_fetch_inc(&mh->node->seq_send);
 }
 
 static struct dlm_msg *dlm_midcomms_get_msg_3_2(struct dlm_mhandle *mh, int nodeid,