diff --git a/kernel/rcu/tree_exp.h b/kernel/rcu/tree_exp.h
index ef6570137dcd..401c1f331caf 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/tree_exp.h
+++ b/kernel/rcu/tree_exp.h
@@ -707,9 +707,11 @@ static int rcu_print_task_exp_stall(struct rcu_node *rnp)
 	int ndetected = 0;
 	struct task_struct *t;
 
-	if (!READ_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks))
-		return 0;
 	raw_spin_lock_irqsave_rcu_node(rnp, flags);
+	if (!rnp->exp_tasks) {
+		raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore_rcu_node(rnp, flags);
+		return 0;
+	}
 	t = list_entry(rnp->exp_tasks->prev,
 		       struct task_struct, rcu_node_entry);
 	list_for_each_entry_continue(t, &rnp->blkd_tasks, rcu_node_entry) {