diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c b/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c
index fb8e12d590a1..bdfbf1eff531 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c
@@ -528,14 +528,10 @@ int register_mtd_blktrans(struct mtd_blktrans_ops *tr)
 	if (!blktrans_notifier.list.next)
 		register_mtd_user(&blktrans_notifier);
 
-
-	mutex_lock(&mtd_table_mutex);
-
 	ret = register_blkdev(tr->major, tr->name);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING "Unable to register %s block device on major %d: %d\n",
 		       tr->name, tr->major, ret);
-		mutex_unlock(&mtd_table_mutex);
 		return ret;
 	}
 
@@ -545,8 +541,9 @@ int register_mtd_blktrans(struct mtd_blktrans_ops *tr)
 	tr->blkshift = ffs(tr->blksize) - 1;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&tr->devs);
-	list_add(&tr->list, &blktrans_majors);
 
+	mutex_lock(&mtd_table_mutex);
+	list_add(&tr->list, &blktrans_majors);
 	mtd_for_each_device(mtd)
 		if (mtd->type != MTD_ABSENT)
 			tr->add_mtd(tr, mtd);