diff --git a/net/ipx/af_ipx.c b/net/ipx/af_ipx.c
index 00b2a6d1c009..d65aea21ce81 100644
--- a/net/ipx/af_ipx.c
+++ b/net/ipx/af_ipx.c
@@ -1763,6 +1763,7 @@ static int ipx_recvmsg(struct kiocb *iocb, struct socket *sock,
 	struct ipxhdr *ipx = NULL;
 	struct sk_buff *skb;
 	int copied, rc;
+	bool locked = true;
 
 	lock_sock(sk);
 	/* put the autobinding in */
@@ -1789,6 +1790,8 @@ static int ipx_recvmsg(struct kiocb *iocb, struct socket *sock,
 	if (sock_flag(sk, SOCK_ZAPPED))
 		goto out;
 
+	release_sock(sk);
+	locked = false;
 	skb = skb_recv_datagram(sk, flags & ~MSG_DONTWAIT,
 				flags & MSG_DONTWAIT, &rc);
 	if (!skb)
@@ -1822,7 +1825,8 @@ static int ipx_recvmsg(struct kiocb *iocb, struct socket *sock,
 out_free:
 	skb_free_datagram(sk, skb);
 out:
-	release_sock(sk);
+	if (locked)
+		release_sock(sk);
 	return rc;
 }