diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c
index 08184f20f5104243babaf7d5c0416ce31de2d26a..151ca9573be97607cfbde22c38e04038a705b489 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/dnet.c
@@ -550,11 +550,11 @@ static netdev_tx_t dnet_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 
 	skb_tx_timestamp(skb);
 
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&bp->lock, flags);
+
 	/* free the buffer */
 	dev_kfree_skb(skb);
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&bp->lock, flags);
-
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 }