diff --git a/security/smack/smackfs.c b/security/smack/smackfs.c
index 13743a01b35b..366b8356f75b 100644
--- a/security/smack/smackfs.c
+++ b/security/smack/smackfs.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ enum smk_inos {
 /*
  * List locks
  */
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(smack_master_list_lock);
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(smack_cipso_lock);
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(smack_ambient_lock);
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(smk_net4addr_lock);
@@ -262,12 +263,16 @@ static int smk_set_access(struct smack_parsed_rule *srp,
 		 * it needs to get added for reporting.
 		 */
 		if (global) {
+			mutex_unlock(rule_lock);
 			smlp = kzalloc(sizeof(*smlp), GFP_KERNEL);
 			if (smlp != NULL) {
 				smlp->smk_rule = sp;
+				mutex_lock(&smack_master_list_lock);
 				list_add_rcu(&smlp->list, &smack_rule_list);
+				mutex_unlock(&smack_master_list_lock);
 			} else
 				rc = -ENOMEM;
+			return rc;
 		}
 	}