diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c b/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
index 3a0e4f5d7b83..81d84e0c3c6c 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
@@ -190,11 +190,12 @@ rx_submit(struct eth_dev *dev, struct usb_request *req, gfp_t gfp_flags)
 		out = dev->port_usb->out_ep;
 	else
 		out = NULL;
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->lock, flags);
 
 	if (!out)
+	{
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->lock, flags);
 		return -ENOTCONN;
-
+	}
 
 	/* Padding up to RX_EXTRA handles minor disagreements with host.
 	 * Normally we use the USB "terminate on short read" convention;
@@ -218,6 +219,7 @@ rx_submit(struct eth_dev *dev, struct usb_request *req, gfp_t gfp_flags)
 
 	if (dev->port_usb->is_fixed)
 		size = max_t(size_t, size, dev->port_usb->fixed_out_len);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->lock, flags);
 
 	skb = __netdev_alloc_skb(dev->net, size + NET_IP_ALIGN, gfp_flags);
 	if (skb == NULL) {