diff --git a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_ssif.c b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_ssif.c
index 0b22a9be5029155265c0d648e14f1833a5ba4ada..6dd6476ea5d3103926374b7cbbacf47dbb5096dc 100644
--- a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_ssif.c
+++ b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_ssif.c
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ static void start_event_fetch(struct ssif_info *ssif_info, unsigned long *flags)
 	msg = ipmi_alloc_smi_msg();
 	if (!msg) {
 		ssif_info->ssif_state = SSIF_NORMAL;
+		ipmi_ssif_unlock_cond(ssif_info, flags);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -430,6 +431,7 @@ static void start_recv_msg_fetch(struct ssif_info *ssif_info,
 	msg = ipmi_alloc_smi_msg();
 	if (!msg) {
 		ssif_info->ssif_state = SSIF_NORMAL;
+		ipmi_ssif_unlock_cond(ssif_info, flags);
 		return;
 	}