diff --git a/devicemodel/core/mem.c b/devicemodel/core/mem.c
index a5c673d63..4994eb221 100644
--- a/devicemodel/core/mem.c
+++ b/devicemodel/core/mem.c
@@ -182,8 +182,10 @@ emulate_mem(struct vmctx *ctx, struct mmio_request *mmio_req)
 	assert(entry != NULL);
 
 	if (entry->enabled == false) {
+		pthread_rwlock_unlock(&mmio_rwlock);
 		return -1;
 	}
+	pthread_rwlock_unlock(&mmio_rwlock);
 
 	if (mmio_req->direction == REQUEST_READ)
 		err = mem_read(ctx, 0, paddr, (uint64_t *)&mmio_req->value,
@@ -192,8 +194,6 @@ emulate_mem(struct vmctx *ctx, struct mmio_request *mmio_req)
 		err = mem_write(ctx, 0, paddr, mmio_req->value,
 				size, &entry->mr_param);
 
-	pthread_rwlock_unlock(&mmio_rwlock);
-
 	return err;
 }