diff --git a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c
index b8eab0dbc3dd..62c3f31cdb97 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink_log.c
@@ -711,15 +711,16 @@ nfulnl_log_packet(unsigned int pf,
 		inst->timer.expires = jiffies + (inst->flushtimeout*HZ/100);
 		add_timer(&inst->timer);
 	}
-	spin_unlock_bh(&inst->lock);
 
+unlock_and_release:
+	spin_unlock_bh(&inst->lock);
+	instance_put(inst);
 	return;
 
 alloc_failure:
-	spin_unlock_bh(&inst->lock);
-	instance_put(inst);
 	UDEBUG("error allocating skb\n");
 	/* FIXME: statistics */
+	goto unlock_and_release;
 }
 
 static int