diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
index 9126a01290ea..d7d2e4b844bc 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
@@ -214,7 +214,6 @@ static int __set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *
 	if (ps > pe)	/* make sel_start <= sel_end */
 		swap(ps, pe);
 
-	mutex_lock(&sel_lock);
 	if (sel_cons != vc_cons[fg_console].d) {
 		clear_selection();
 		sel_cons = vc_cons[fg_console].d;
@@ -260,10 +259,9 @@ static int __set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *
 			break;
 		case TIOCL_SELPOINTER:
 			highlight_pointer(pe);
-			goto unlock;
+			return 0;
 		default:
-			ret = -EINVAL;
-			goto unlock;
+			return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
 	/* remove the pointer */
@@ -285,7 +283,7 @@ static int __set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *
 	else if (new_sel_start == sel_start)
 	{
 		if (new_sel_end == sel_end)	/* no action required */
-			goto unlock;
+			return 0;
 		else if (new_sel_end > sel_end)	/* extend to right */
 			highlight(sel_end + 2, new_sel_end);
 		else				/* contract from right */
@@ -313,8 +311,7 @@ static int __set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *
 	if (!bp) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING "selection: kmalloc() failed\n");
 		clear_selection();
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto unlock;
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 	kfree(sel_buffer);
 	sel_buffer = bp;
@@ -339,8 +336,7 @@ static int __set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *
 		}
 	}
 	sel_buffer_lth = bp - sel_buffer;
-unlock:
-	mutex_unlock(&sel_lock);
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -348,9 +344,11 @@ int set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
 {
 	int ret;
 
+	mutex_lock(&sel_lock);
 	console_lock();
 	ret = __set_selection_kernel(v, tty);
 	console_unlock();
+	mutex_unlock(&sel_lock);
 
 	return ret;
 }