diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c b/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c
index 485ea751c7f9..bb4c14f83c75 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ struct mtdblk_dev {
 	enum { STATE_EMPTY, STATE_CLEAN, STATE_DIRTY } cache_state;
 };
 
-static DEFINE_MUTEX(mtdblks_lock);
-
 /*
  * Cache stuff...
  *
@@ -286,10 +284,8 @@ static int mtdblock_open(struct mtd_blktrans_dev *mbd)
 
 	pr_debug("mtdblock_open\n");
 
-	mutex_lock(&mtdblks_lock);
 	if (mtdblk->count) {
 		mtdblk->count++;
-		mutex_unlock(&mtdblks_lock);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -302,8 +298,6 @@ static int mtdblock_open(struct mtd_blktrans_dev *mbd)
 		mtdblk->cache_data = NULL;
 	}
 
-	mutex_unlock(&mtdblks_lock);
-
 	pr_debug("ok\n");
 
 	return 0;
@@ -315,8 +309,6 @@ static void mtdblock_release(struct mtd_blktrans_dev *mbd)
 
 	pr_debug("mtdblock_release\n");
 
-	mutex_lock(&mtdblks_lock);
-
 	mutex_lock(&mtdblk->cache_mutex);
 	write_cached_data(mtdblk);
 	mutex_unlock(&mtdblk->cache_mutex);
@@ -331,8 +323,6 @@ static void mtdblock_release(struct mtd_blktrans_dev *mbd)
 		vfree(mtdblk->cache_data);
 	}
 
-	mutex_unlock(&mtdblks_lock);
-
 	pr_debug("ok\n");
 }