diff --git a/sound/core/rawmidi.c b/sound/core/rawmidi.c
index 500765f2084..3e9761685c8 100644
--- a/sound/core/rawmidi.c
+++ b/sound/core/rawmidi.c
@@ -1564,10 +1564,12 @@ static int snd_rawmidi_dev_register(struct snd_device *device)
 	}
 	list_add_tail(&rmidi->list, &snd_rawmidi_devices);
 	sprintf(name, "midiC%iD%i", rmidi->card->number, rmidi->device);
+	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 	if ((err = snd_register_device(SNDRV_DEVICE_TYPE_RAWMIDI,
 				       rmidi->card, rmidi->device,
 				       &snd_rawmidi_f_ops, rmidi, name)) < 0) {
 		snd_printk(KERN_ERR "unable to register rawmidi device %i:%i\n", rmidi->card->number, rmidi->device);
+		mutex_lock(&register_mutex);
 		list_del(&rmidi->list);
 		mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 		return err;
@@ -1575,6 +1577,7 @@ static int snd_rawmidi_dev_register(struct snd_device *device)
 	if (rmidi->ops && rmidi->ops->dev_register &&
 	    (err = rmidi->ops->dev_register(rmidi)) < 0) {
 		snd_unregister_device(SNDRV_DEVICE_TYPE_RAWMIDI, rmidi->card, rmidi->device);
+		mutex_lock(&register_mutex);
 		list_del(&rmidi->list);
 		mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 		return err;
@@ -1603,7 +1606,6 @@ static int snd_rawmidi_dev_register(struct snd_device *device)
 		}
 	}
 #endif /* CONFIG_SND_OSSEMUL */
-	mutex_unlock(&register_mutex);
 	sprintf(name, "midi%d", rmidi->device);
 	entry = snd_info_create_card_entry(rmidi->card, name, rmidi->card->proc_root);
 	if (entry) {