diff --git a/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c b/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c
index 41b3d83c2ab8..f4424cf886c5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c
@@ -515,6 +515,7 @@ static void ax_encaps(struct net_device *dev, unsigned char *icp, int len)
 			count = kiss_esc(p, (unsigned char *)ax->xbuff, len);
 		}
   	}
+	spin_unlock_bh(&ax->buflock);
 
 	set_bit(TTY_DO_WRITE_WAKEUP, &ax->tty->flags);
 	actual = ax->tty->driver->write(ax->tty, ax->xbuff, count);
@@ -524,7 +525,6 @@ static void ax_encaps(struct net_device *dev, unsigned char *icp, int len)
 	ax->dev->trans_start = jiffies;
 	ax->xleft = count - actual;
 	ax->xhead = ax->xbuff + actual;
-	spin_unlock_bh(&ax->buflock);
 }
 
 /* Encapsulate an AX.25 packet and kick it into a TTY queue. */