diff --git a/arch/m68k/kernel/process.c b/arch/m68k/kernel/process.c
index 41230c595a8e..05296593e718 100644
--- a/arch/m68k/kernel/process.c
+++ b/arch/m68k/kernel/process.c
@@ -317,15 +317,12 @@ asmlinkage int sys_execve(char __user *name, char __user * __user *argv, char __
 	char * filename;
 	struct pt_regs *regs = (struct pt_regs *) &name;
 
-	lock_kernel();
 	filename = getname(name);
 	error = PTR_ERR(filename);
 	if (IS_ERR(filename))
-		goto out;
+		return error;
 	error = do_execve(filename, argv, envp, regs);
 	putname(filename);
-out:
-	unlock_kernel();
 	return error;
 }