diff --git a/drivers/media/radio/wl128x/fmdrv_common.c b/drivers/media/radio/wl128x/fmdrv_common.c
index cccf1a743f4e..f22a558ad807 100644
--- a/drivers/media/radio/wl128x/fmdrv_common.c
+++ b/drivers/media/radio/wl128x/fmdrv_common.c
@@ -472,11 +472,12 @@ int fmc_send_cmd(struct fmdev *fmdev, u8 fm_op, u16 type, void *payload,
 			   jiffies_to_msecs(FM_DRV_TX_TIMEOUT) / 1000);
 		return -ETIMEDOUT;
 	}
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&fmdev->resp_skb_lock, flags);
 	if (!fmdev->resp_skb) {
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&fmdev->resp_skb_lock, flags);
 		fmerr("Response SKB is missing\n");
 		return -EFAULT;
 	}
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&fmdev->resp_skb_lock, flags);
 	skb = fmdev->resp_skb;
 	fmdev->resp_skb = NULL;
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&fmdev->resp_skb_lock, flags);