diff --git a/src/gst/gstpipewirepool.c b/src/gst/gstpipewirepool.c
index 3bcf99de7..5e201d315 100644
--- a/src/gst/gstpipewirepool.c
+++ b/src/gst/gstpipewirepool.c
@@ -432,26 +432,25 @@ release_buffer (GstBufferPool * pool, GstBuffer *buffer)
   GST_LOG_OBJECT (pool, "release buffer %p", buffer);
 
   GstPipeWirePoolData *data = gst_pipewire_pool_get_data(buffer);
+  GstPipeWirePool *p = GST_PIPEWIRE_POOL (pool);
+  g_autoptr (GstPipeWireStream) s = g_weak_ref_get (&p->stream);
 
   GST_OBJECT_LOCK (pool);
+  pw_thread_loop_lock (s->core->loop);
 
   if (!data->queued && data->b != NULL)
   {
-    GstPipeWirePool *p = GST_PIPEWIRE_POOL (pool);
-    g_autoptr (GstPipeWireStream) s = g_weak_ref_get (&p->stream);
     int res;
 
-    pw_thread_loop_lock (s->core->loop);
-
     if ((res = pw_stream_return_buffer (s->pwstream, data->b)) < 0) {
       GST_ERROR_OBJECT (pool,"can't return buffer %p; gstbuffer : %p, %s",data->b, buffer, spa_strerror(res));
     } else {
       data->queued = TRUE;
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (pool, "returned buffer %p; gstbuffer:%p", data->b, buffer);
     }
-
-    pw_thread_loop_unlock (s->core->loop);
   }
+
+  pw_thread_loop_unlock (s->core->loop);
   GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (pool);
 }