diff --git a/drivers/staging/rtl8192e/rtllib_softmac.c b/drivers/staging/rtl8192e/rtllib_softmac.c
index da74dc49b95e..f46def63967b 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/rtl8192e/rtllib_softmac.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/rtl8192e/rtllib_softmac.c
@@ -655,9 +655,9 @@ static void rtllib_beacons_stop(struct rtllib_device *ieee)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&ieee->beacon_lock, flags);
 
 	ieee->beacon_txing = 0;
-	del_timer_sync(&ieee->beacon_timer);
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ieee->beacon_lock, flags);
+	del_timer_sync(&ieee->beacon_timer);
 
 }