diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
index 6f2fe63e8f5a..7b961c9c62ef 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ static int i2c_check_addr_busy(struct i2c_adapter *adapter, int addr)
 static void i2c_adapter_lock_bus(struct i2c_adapter *adapter,
 				 unsigned int flags)
 {
-	rt_mutex_lock(&adapter->bus_lock);
+	rt_mutex_lock_nested(&adapter->bus_lock, i2c_adapter_depth(adapter));
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-mux.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-mux.c
index 9669ca4937b8..7ba31f6bf148 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-mux.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-mux.c
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ static void i2c_mux_lock_bus(struct i2c_adapter *adapter, unsigned int flags)
 	struct i2c_mux_priv *priv = adapter->algo_data;
 	struct i2c_adapter *parent = priv->muxc->parent;
 
-	rt_mutex_lock(&parent->mux_lock);
+	rt_mutex_lock_nested(&parent->mux_lock, i2c_adapter_depth(adapter));
 	if (!(flags & I2C_LOCK_ROOT_ADAPTER))
 		return;
 	i2c_lock_bus(parent, flags);
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ static void i2c_parent_lock_bus(struct i2c_adapter *adapter,
 	struct i2c_mux_priv *priv = adapter->algo_data;
 	struct i2c_adapter *parent = priv->muxc->parent;
 
-	rt_mutex_lock(&parent->mux_lock);
+	rt_mutex_lock_nested(&parent->mux_lock, i2c_adapter_depth(adapter));
 	i2c_lock_bus(parent, flags);
 }