diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
index e4f65510c87e89..89dca77ca0382e 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
@@ -1801,14 +1801,15 @@ void pinctrl_unregister(struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev)
 	if (pctldev == NULL)
 		return;
 
-	mutex_lock(&pinctrldev_list_mutex);
 	mutex_lock(&pctldev->mutex);
-
 	pinctrl_remove_device_debugfs(pctldev);
+	mutex_unlock(&pctldev->mutex);
 
 	if (!IS_ERR(pctldev->p))
 		pinctrl_put(pctldev->p);
 
+	mutex_lock(&pinctrldev_list_mutex);
+	mutex_lock(&pctldev->mutex);
 	/* TODO: check that no pinmuxes are still active? */
 	list_del(&pctldev->node);
 	/* Destroy descriptor tree */