diff --git a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_powernv.c b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_powernv.c
index 79524ed2a3cb0d8bb24ebf94af80bd461591f96f..8753b0f6a317790562cc1126805a11eea3a25a5d 100644
--- a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_powernv.c
+++ b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_powernv.c
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ static int ipmi_powernv_recv(struct ipmi_smi_powernv *smi)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&smi->msg_lock, flags);
 
 	if (!smi->cur_msg) {
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&smi->msg_lock, flags);
 		pr_warn("no current message?\n");
 		return 0;
 	}