diff --git a/drivers/staging/frontier/alphatrack.c b/drivers/staging/frontier/alphatrack.c
index 5590ebf1da15..817f837b240d 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/frontier/alphatrack.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/frontier/alphatrack.c
@@ -827,11 +827,11 @@ static void usb_alphatrack_disconnect(struct usb_interface *intf)
 		mutex_unlock(&dev->mtx);
 		usb_alphatrack_delete(dev);
 	} else {
+		atomic_set(&dev->writes_pending, 0);
 		dev->intf = NULL;
 		mutex_unlock(&dev->mtx);
 	}
 
-	atomic_set(&dev->writes_pending, 0);
 	mutex_unlock(&disconnect_mutex);
 
 	dev_info(&intf->dev, "Alphatrack Surface #%d now disconnected\n",