diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index 282025770429..fb4bc4f5151c 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -607,6 +607,7 @@ static struct kobject *get_device_parent(struct device *dev,
 	int retval;
 
 	if (dev->class) {
+		static DEFINE_MUTEX(gdp_mutex);
 		struct kobject *kobj = NULL;
 		struct kobject *parent_kobj;
 		struct kobject *k;
@@ -623,6 +624,8 @@ static struct kobject *get_device_parent(struct device *dev,
 		else
 			parent_kobj = &parent->kobj;
 
+		mutex_lock(&gdp_mutex);
+
 		/* find our class-directory at the parent and reference it */
 		spin_lock(&dev->class->p->class_dirs.list_lock);
 		list_for_each_entry(k, &dev->class->p->class_dirs.list, entry)
@@ -631,20 +634,26 @@ static struct kobject *get_device_parent(struct device *dev,
 				break;
 			}
 		spin_unlock(&dev->class->p->class_dirs.list_lock);
-		if (kobj)
+		if (kobj) {
+			mutex_unlock(&gdp_mutex);
 			return kobj;
+		}
 
 		/* or create a new class-directory at the parent device */
 		k = kobject_create();
-		if (!k)
+		if (!k) {
+			mutex_unlock(&gdp_mutex);
 			return NULL;
+		}
 		k->kset = &dev->class->p->class_dirs;
 		retval = kobject_add(k, parent_kobj, "%s", dev->class->name);
 		if (retval < 0) {
+			mutex_unlock(&gdp_mutex);
 			kobject_put(k);
 			return NULL;
 		}
 		/* do not emit an uevent for this simple "glue" directory */
+		mutex_unlock(&gdp_mutex);
 		return k;
 	}