diff --git a/drivers/scsi/st.c b/drivers/scsi/st.c
index cab8aa73969c..a757646c8dc6 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/st.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/st.c
@@ -4515,11 +4515,11 @@ static void st_remove(struct scsi_device *SDp)
 	remove_cdevs(tpnt);
 
 	mutex_lock(&st_ref_mutex);
-	kref_put(&tpnt->kref, scsi_tape_release);
-	mutex_unlock(&st_ref_mutex);
 	spin_lock(&st_index_lock);
 	idr_remove(&st_index_idr, index);
 	spin_unlock(&st_index_lock);
+	kref_put(&tpnt->kref, scsi_tape_release);
+	mutex_unlock(&st_ref_mutex);
 }
 
 /**