diff --git a/net/ceph/messenger.c b/net/ceph/messenger.c
index feb5a2a..c3b628c 100644
--- a/net/ceph/messenger.c
+++ b/net/ceph/messenger.c
@@ -2336,7 +2336,6 @@ done_unlocked:
 	return;
 
 fault:
-	mutex_unlock(&con->mutex);
 	ceph_fault(con);     /* error/fault path */
 	goto done_unlocked;
 }
@@ -2347,9 +2346,8 @@ fault:
  * exponential backoff
  */
 static void ceph_fault(struct ceph_connection *con)
+	__releases(con->mutex)
 {
-	mutex_lock(&con->mutex);
-
 	pr_err("%s%lld %s %s\n", ENTITY_NAME(con->peer_name),
 	       ceph_pr_addr(&con->peer_addr.in_addr), con->error_msg);
 	dout("fault %p state %lu to peer %s\n",