diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_rx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_rx.c
index c72d8af122a2..2840ef75e3a6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_rx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/htt_rx.c
@@ -268,11 +268,12 @@ int ath10k_htt_rx_ring_refill(struct ath10k *ar)
 	spin_lock_bh(&htt->rx_ring.lock);
 	ret = ath10k_htt_rx_ring_fill_n(htt, (htt->rx_ring.fill_level -
 					      htt->rx_ring.fill_cnt));
-	spin_unlock_bh(&htt->rx_ring.lock);
 
 	if (ret)
 		ath10k_htt_rx_ring_free(htt);
 
+	spin_unlock_bh(&htt->rx_ring.lock);
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -284,7 +285,9 @@ void ath10k_htt_rx_free(struct ath10k_htt *htt)
 	skb_queue_purge(&htt->rx_in_ord_compl_q);
 	skb_queue_purge(&htt->tx_fetch_ind_q);
 
+	spin_lock_bh(&htt->rx_ring.lock);
 	ath10k_htt_rx_ring_free(htt);
+	spin_unlock_bh(&htt->rx_ring.lock);
 
 	dma_free_coherent(htt->ar->dev,
 			  ath10k_htt_get_rx_ring_size(htt),