diff --git a/modules/mount_autofs.c b/modules/mount_autofs.c
index f8d8ed2..c45b91b 100644
--- a/modules/mount_autofs.c
+++ b/modules/mount_autofs.c
@@ -215,6 +215,8 @@ int mount_mount(struct autofs_point *ap, const char *root, const char *name,
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	mounts_mutex_lock(ap);
+
 	status = pthread_mutex_lock(&suc.mutex);
 	if (status) {
 		crit(ap->logopt,
@@ -227,8 +229,6 @@ int mount_mount(struct autofs_point *ap, const char *root, const char *name,
 	suc.done = 0;
 	suc.status = 0;
 
-	mounts_mutex_lock(ap);
-
 	if (pthread_create(&thid, NULL, handle_mounts, nap)) {
 		crit(ap->logopt,
 		     MODPREFIX