unsigned int pipe;
        u8 requesttype;
 
+       mutex_lock(&d->usb_mutex);
+
+       if (req->size > sizeof(dev->buf)) {
+               dev_err(&d->intf->dev, "too large message %u\n", req->size);
+               ret = -EINVAL;
+               goto err_mutex_unlock;
+       }
+
        if (req->index & CMD_WR_FLAG) {
                /* write */
                memcpy(dev->buf, req->data, req->size);
        dvb_usb_dbg_usb_control_msg(d->udev, 0, requesttype, req->value,
                        req->index, dev->buf, req->size);
        if (ret < 0)
-               goto err;
+               goto err_mutex_unlock;
 
        /* read request, copy returned data to return buf */
        if (requesttype == (USB_TYPE_VENDOR | USB_DIR_IN))
                memcpy(req->data, dev->buf, req->size);
 
+       mutex_unlock(&d->usb_mutex);
+
        return 0;
-err:
+err_mutex_unlock:
+       mutex_unlock(&d->usb_mutex);
        dev_dbg(&d->intf->dev, "failed=%d\n", ret);
        return ret;
 }