diff --git a/drivers/vhost/vhost.c b/drivers/vhost/vhost.c
index f3bd8e941224..f0be5f35ab28 100644
--- a/drivers/vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/drivers/vhost/vhost.c
@@ -981,6 +981,7 @@ static int vhost_process_iotlb_msg(struct vhost_dev *dev,
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 
+	mutex_lock(&dev->mutex);
 	vhost_dev_lock_vqs(dev);
 	switch (msg->type) {
 	case VHOST_IOTLB_UPDATE:
@@ -1016,6 +1017,8 @@ static int vhost_process_iotlb_msg(struct vhost_dev *dev,
 	}
 
 	vhost_dev_unlock_vqs(dev);
+	mutex_unlock(&dev->mutex);
+
 	return ret;
 }
 ssize_t vhost_chr_write_iter(struct vhost_dev *dev,