diff --git a/drivers/acpi/ec.c b/drivers/acpi/ec.c
index a06d9837470585aaf0298b3f3f96f7e94bd64724..15986f32009ecf31f3d8e058c7a5d1170467c9db 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/ec.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/ec.c
@@ -175,9 +175,10 @@ static void start_transaction(struct acpi_ec *ec)
 static void advance_transaction(struct acpi_ec *ec, u8 status)
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
-	struct transaction *t = ec->curr;
+	struct transaction *t;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&ec->lock, flags);
+	t = ec->curr;
 	if (!t)
 		goto unlock;
 	if (t->wlen > t->wi) {