diff --git a/arch/arm/plat-omap/dmtimer.c b/arch/arm/plat-omap/dmtimer.c
index 7b6689af0cce..938b50a33439 100644
--- a/arch/arm/plat-omap/dmtimer.c
+++ b/arch/arm/plat-omap/dmtimer.c
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ struct omap_dm_timer *omap_dm_timer_request(void)
 		timer->reserved = 1;
 		break;
 	}
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dm_timer_lock, flags);
 
 	if (timer) {
 		ret = omap_dm_timer_prepare(timer);
@@ -197,7 +198,6 @@ struct omap_dm_timer *omap_dm_timer_request(void)
 			timer = NULL;
 		}
 	}
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dm_timer_lock, flags);
 
 	if (!timer)
 		pr_debug("%s: timer request failed!\n", __func__);
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ struct omap_dm_timer *omap_dm_timer_request_specific(int id)
 			break;
 		}
 	}
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dm_timer_lock, flags);
 
 	if (timer) {
 		ret = omap_dm_timer_prepare(timer);
@@ -228,7 +229,6 @@ struct omap_dm_timer *omap_dm_timer_request_specific(int id)
 			timer = NULL;
 		}
 	}
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dm_timer_lock, flags);
 
 	if (!timer)
 		pr_debug("%s: timer%d request failed!\n", __func__, id);