diff --git a/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c b/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
index 372f1d1e44..2139ef3fce 100644
--- a/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
+++ b/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
@@ -1202,7 +1202,6 @@ static int udevRemoveOneDevice(struct udev_device *device)
     int ret = 0;
 
     name = udev_device_get_syspath(device);
-    nodeDeviceLock(driverState);
     dev = virNodeDeviceFindBySysfsPath(&driverState->devs, name);
 
     if (dev != NULL) {
@@ -1214,7 +1213,6 @@ static int udevRemoveOneDevice(struct udev_device *device)
                   name);
         ret = -1;
     }
-    nodeDeviceUnlock(driverState);
 
     return ret;
 }
@@ -1316,9 +1314,7 @@ static int udevAddOneDevice(struct udev_device *device)
 
     /* If this is a device change, the old definition will be freed
      * and the current definition will take its place. */
-    nodeDeviceLock(driverState);
     dev = virNodeDeviceAssignDef(&driverState->devs, def);
-    nodeDeviceUnlock(driverState);
 
     if (dev == NULL) {
         VIR_ERROR(_("Failed to create device for '%s'"), def->name);
@@ -1442,6 +1438,7 @@ static void udevEventHandleCallback(int watch ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
     const char *action = NULL;
     int udev_fd = -1;
 
+    nodeDeviceLock(driverState);
     udev_fd = udev_monitor_get_fd(udev_monitor);
     if (fd != udev_fd) {
         VIR_ERROR(_("File descriptor returned by udev %d does not "
@@ -1470,6 +1467,7 @@ static void udevEventHandleCallback(int watch ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 
 out:
     udev_device_unref(device);
+    nodeDeviceUnlock(driverState);
     return;
 }
 
@@ -1647,10 +1645,9 @@ static int udevDeviceMonitorStartup(int privileged)
     priv->udev_monitor = udev_monitor_new_from_netlink(udev, "udev");
     if (priv->udev_monitor == NULL) {
         VIR_FREE(priv);
-        nodeDeviceUnlock(driverState);
         VIR_ERROR0(_("udev_monitor_new_from_netlink returned NULL"));
         ret = -1;
-        goto out;
+        goto out_unlock;
     }
 
     udev_monitor_enable_receiving(priv->udev_monitor);
@@ -1670,26 +1667,26 @@ static int udevDeviceMonitorStartup(int privileged)
                                     VIR_EVENT_HANDLE_READABLE,
                                     udevEventHandleCallback, NULL, NULL);
     if (priv->watch == -1) {
-        nodeDeviceUnlock(driverState);
         ret = -1;
-        goto out;
+        goto out_unlock;
     }
 
-    nodeDeviceUnlock(driverState);
-
     /* Create a fictional 'computer' device to root the device tree. */
     if (udevSetupSystemDev() != 0) {
         ret = -1;
-        goto out;
+        goto out_unlock;
     }
 
     /* Populate with known devices */
 
     if (udevEnumerateDevices(udev) != 0) {
         ret = -1;
-        goto out;
+        goto out_unlock;
     }
 
+out_unlock:
+    nodeDeviceUnlock(driverState);
+
 out:
     if (ret == -1) {
         udevDeviceMonitorShutdown();