diff --git a/net/mac80211/cfg.c b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
index 2201923238edc2e9344e213096a97fea121d8ffe..16998a0228180b46e2b56069591eaf7a010a95f5 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/cfg.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/cfg.c
@@ -972,10 +972,8 @@ static int ieee80211_start_ap(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 					IEEE80211_P2P_OPPPS_ENABLE_BIT;
 
 	err = ieee80211_assign_beacon(sdata, &params->beacon, NULL);
-	if (err < 0) {
-		ieee80211_vif_release_channel(sdata);
-		return err;
-	}
+	if (err < 0)
+		goto error;
 	changed |= err;
 
 	err = drv_start_ap(sdata->local, sdata);
@@ -985,8 +983,7 @@ static int ieee80211_start_ap(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 		if (old)
 			kfree_rcu(old, rcu_head);
 		RCU_INIT_POINTER(sdata->u.ap.beacon, NULL);
-		ieee80211_vif_release_channel(sdata);
-		return err;
+		goto error;
 	}
 
 	ieee80211_recalc_dtim(local, sdata);
@@ -997,6 +994,13 @@ static int ieee80211_start_ap(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 		netif_carrier_on(vlan->dev);
 
 	return 0;
+
+error:
+	mutex_lock(&local->mtx);
+	ieee80211_vif_release_channel(sdata);
+	mutex_unlock(&local->mtx);
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 static int ieee80211_change_beacon(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,