diff --git a/main/channel.c b/main/channel.c
index 9954d6613c..7c6a98a903 100644
--- a/main/channel.c
+++ b/main/channel.c
@@ -5984,9 +5984,6 @@ int ast_do_masquerade(struct ast_channel *original)
 	ao2_unlink(channels, original);
 	ao2_unlink(channels, clonechan);
 
-	/* now that both channels are locked and unlinked from the container, it is safe to unlock it */
-	ao2_unlock(channels);
-
 	ast_debug(4, "Actually Masquerading %s(%d) into the structure of %s(%d)\n",
 		clonechan->name, clonechan->_state, original->name, original->_state);
 
@@ -6269,6 +6266,8 @@ done:
 		ao2_link(channels, original);
 	}
 
+	ao2_unlock(channels);
+
 	return 0;
 }