diff --git a/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c b/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c
index a0d9eadcfe02..ec72272ab73a 100644
--- a/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c
+++ b/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c
@@ -1697,7 +1697,8 @@ rt_mutex_slowlock(struct rt_mutex *lock, int state,
 	set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
 
 	if (unlikely(ret)) {
-		remove_waiter(lock, &waiter);
+		if (rt_mutex_has_waiters(lock))
+			remove_waiter(lock, &waiter);
 		rt_mutex_handle_deadlock(ret, chwalk, &waiter);
 	} else if (ww_ctx) {
 		ww_mutex_account_lock(lock, ww_ctx);