diff --git a/target/mips/op_helper.c b/target/mips/op_helper.c
index 8c53b3b72d..0f272a5b93 100644
--- a/target/mips/op_helper.c
+++ b/target/mips/op_helper.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  * License along with this library; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include "qemu/main-loop.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
 #include "internal.h"
 #include "qemu/host-utils.h"
@@ -638,7 +639,9 @@ static inline void mips_vpe_wake(MIPSCPU *c)
     /* Don't set ->halted = 0 directly, let it be done via cpu_has_work
        because there might be other conditions that state that c should
        be sleeping.  */
+    qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
     cpu_interrupt(CPU(c), CPU_INTERRUPT_WAKE);
+    qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
 }
 
 static inline void mips_vpe_sleep(MIPSCPU *cpu)