diff --git a/drivers/spi/spidev.c b/drivers/spi/spidev.c
index d753df700e9e..f74ea26c382f 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spidev.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spidev.c
@@ -787,13 +787,13 @@ static int spidev_remove(struct spi_device *spi)
 {
 	struct spidev_data	*spidev = spi_get_drvdata(spi);
 
+	/* prevent new opens */
+	mutex_lock(&device_list_lock);
 	/* make sure ops on existing fds can abort cleanly */
 	spin_lock_irq(&spidev->spi_lock);
 	spidev->spi = NULL;
 	spin_unlock_irq(&spidev->spi_lock);
 
-	/* prevent new opens */
-	mutex_lock(&device_list_lock);
 	list_del(&spidev->device_entry);
 	device_destroy(spidev_class, spidev->devt);
 	clear_bit(MINOR(spidev->devt), minors);