diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c
index 74a0cd5d0b37..e08c0503027d 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c
@@ -5034,9 +5034,11 @@ int hci_abort_conn_sync(struct hci_dev *hdev, struct hci_conn *conn, u8 reason)
 		/* Cleanup hci_conn object if it cannot be cancelled as it
 		 * likelly means the controller and host stack are out of sync.
 		 */
-		if (err)
+		if (err) {
+			hci_dev_lock(hdev);
 			hci_conn_failed(conn, err);
-
+			hci_dev_unlock(hdev);
+		}
 		return err;
 	case BT_CONNECT2:
 		return hci_reject_conn_sync(hdev, conn, reason);