diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
index 44802e501794..1d8324e220fc 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
@@ -1090,8 +1090,8 @@ static struct pinctrl *create_pinctrl(struct device *dev,
 		 * an -EPROBE_DEFER later, as that is the worst case.
 		 */
 		if (ret == -EPROBE_DEFER) {
-			pinctrl_free(p, false);
 			mutex_unlock(&pinctrl_maps_mutex);
+			pinctrl_free(p, false);
 			return ERR_PTR(ret);
 		}
 	}