diff --git a/fs/reiserfs/journal.c b/fs/reiserfs/journal.c
index a059879667b1..83ac4d3b3cb0 100644
--- a/fs/reiserfs/journal.c
+++ b/fs/reiserfs/journal.c
@@ -2009,10 +2009,11 @@ static int do_journal_release(struct reiserfs_transaction_handle *th,
 		destroy_workqueue(commit_wq);
 		commit_wq = NULL;
 	}
-	reiserfs_write_lock(sb);
 
 	free_journal_ram(sb);
 
+	reiserfs_write_lock(sb);
+
 	return 0;
 }