diff --git a/src/conf/virsecretobj.c b/src/conf/virsecretobj.c
index cc184596184334276383d4ef6bd09b80246e0a10..55624f4c1a02ef88e6026a521b7f78c78a3bf9bd 100644
--- a/src/conf/virsecretobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virsecretobj.c
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ virSecretObjNew(void)
     if (!(secret = virObjectLockableNew(virSecretObjClass)))
         return NULL;
 
+    virObjectLock(secret);
+
     return secret;
 }
 
@@ -386,8 +388,6 @@ virSecretObjListAddLocked(virSecretObjListPtr secrets,
         if (!(secret = virSecretObjNew()))
             goto cleanup;
 
-        virObjectLock(secret);
-
         if (virHashAddEntry(secrets->objs, uuidstr, secret) < 0)
             goto cleanup;