diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
index ffbdc4642ea5..f6c24b22b37c 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
@@ -1019,16 +1019,16 @@ static void watchdog_cdev_unregister(struct watchdog_device *wdd)
 		old_wd_data = NULL;
 	}
 
-	mutex_lock(&wd_data->lock);
-	wd_data->wdd = NULL;
-	wdd->wd_data = NULL;
-	mutex_unlock(&wd_data->lock);
-
 	if (watchdog_active(wdd) &&
 	    test_bit(WDOG_STOP_ON_UNREGISTER, &wdd->status)) {
 		watchdog_stop(wdd);
 	}
 
+	mutex_lock(&wd_data->lock);
+	wd_data->wdd = NULL;
+	wdd->wd_data = NULL;
+	mutex_unlock(&wd_data->lock);
+
 	hrtimer_cancel(&wd_data->timer);
 	kthread_cancel_work_sync(&wd_data->work);