ieee80211_link_info_change_notify(sdata, &sdata->deflink,
                                                  BSS_CHANGED_BSSID);
                sdata->u.mgd.flags = 0;
+
                mutex_lock(&sdata->local->mtx);
                ieee80211_link_release_channel(&sdata->deflink);
-               mutex_unlock(&sdata->local->mtx);
-
                ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0);
+               mutex_unlock(&sdata->local->mtx);
        }
 
        cfg80211_put_bss(sdata->local->hw.wiphy, auth_data->bss);
                sdata->u.mgd.flags = 0;
                sdata->vif.bss_conf.mu_mimo_owner = false;
 
-               mutex_lock(&sdata->local->mtx);
-               ieee80211_link_release_channel(&sdata->deflink);
-               mutex_unlock(&sdata->local->mtx);
-
                if (status != ASSOC_REJECTED) {
                        struct cfg80211_assoc_failure data = {
                                .timeout = status == ASSOC_TIMEOUT,
                        cfg80211_assoc_failure(sdata->dev, &data);
                }
 
+               mutex_lock(&sdata->local->mtx);
+               ieee80211_link_release_channel(&sdata->deflink);
                ieee80211_vif_set_links(sdata, 0);
+               mutex_unlock(&sdata->local->mtx);
        }
 
        kfree(assoc_data);