diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/mwifiex/cmdevt.c b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/mwifiex/cmdevt.c
index 5fd6c53d7b06..95221306a4e5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/mwifiex/cmdevt.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/marvell/mwifiex/cmdevt.c
@@ -761,8 +761,6 @@ int mwifiex_exec_next_cmd(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 	}
 	cmd_node = list_first_entry(&adapter->cmd_pending_q,
 				    struct cmd_ctrl_node, list);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&adapter->cmd_pending_q_lock,
-			       cmd_pending_q_flags);
 
 	host_cmd = (struct host_cmd_ds_command *) (cmd_node->cmd_skb->data);
 	priv = cmd_node->priv;
@@ -771,11 +769,12 @@ int mwifiex_exec_next_cmd(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 		mwifiex_dbg(adapter, ERROR,
 			    "%s: cannot send cmd in sleep state,\t"
 			    "this should not happen\n", __func__);
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&adapter->cmd_pending_q_lock,
+				       cmd_pending_q_flags);
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&adapter->mwifiex_cmd_lock, cmd_flags);
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&adapter->cmd_pending_q_lock, cmd_pending_q_flags);
 	list_del(&cmd_node->list);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&adapter->cmd_pending_q_lock,
 			       cmd_pending_q_flags);