diff --git a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
index 211c475f73c6f19083654760214b5ad3582d6c34..56422d8943511d7d2744f349342a21bcb75067c5 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/sta_info.c
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ int sta_info_insert_rcu(struct sta_info *sta) __acquires(RCU)
 	/* check if STA exists already */
 	if (sta_info_get_bss(sdata, sta->sta.addr)) {
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&local->sta_lock, flags);
+		mutex_unlock(&local->sta_mtx);
 		rcu_read_lock();
 		err = -EEXIST;
 		goto out_free;