diff --git a/kernel/user.c b/kernel/user.c
index 0f3aa0234107e3742b7727565b8343539df122c9..8320a87f3e5a11f11e2159488cf2dc3f6d9371d3 100644
--- a/kernel/user.c
+++ b/kernel/user.c
@@ -337,8 +337,11 @@ struct user_struct * alloc_uid(struct user_namespace *ns, uid_t uid)
 		struct user_struct *new;
 
 		new = kmem_cache_alloc(uid_cachep, GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (!new)
+		if (!new) {
+			uids_mutex_unlock();
 			return NULL;
+		}
+
 		new->uid = uid;
 		atomic_set(&new->__count, 1);
 		atomic_set(&new->processes, 0);
@@ -355,6 +358,7 @@ struct user_struct * alloc_uid(struct user_namespace *ns, uid_t uid)
 
 		if (alloc_uid_keyring(new, current) < 0) {
 			kmem_cache_free(uid_cachep, new);
+			uids_mutex_unlock();
 			return NULL;
 		}
 
@@ -362,6 +366,7 @@ struct user_struct * alloc_uid(struct user_namespace *ns, uid_t uid)
 			key_put(new->uid_keyring);
 			key_put(new->session_keyring);
 			kmem_cache_free(uid_cachep, new);
+			uids_mutex_unlock();
 			return NULL;
 		}