diff --git a/mm/slab_common.c b/mm/slab_common.c
index 9c217255ac49..069a24e64403 100644
--- a/mm/slab_common.c
+++ b/mm/slab_common.c
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ void kmem_cache_destroy(struct kmem_cache *s)
 		list_del(&s->list);
 
 		if (!__kmem_cache_shutdown(s)) {
+			mutex_unlock(&slab_mutex);
 			if (s->flags & SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU)
 				rcu_barrier();
 
@@ -175,12 +176,14 @@ void kmem_cache_destroy(struct kmem_cache *s)
 			kmem_cache_free(kmem_cache, s);
 		} else {
 			list_add(&s->list, &slab_caches);
+			mutex_unlock(&slab_mutex);
 			printk(KERN_ERR "kmem_cache_destroy %s: Slab cache still has objects\n",
 				s->name);
 			dump_stack();
 		}
+	} else {
+		mutex_unlock(&slab_mutex);
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&slab_mutex);
 	put_online_cpus();
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(kmem_cache_destroy);