diff --git a/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci.c b/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci.c
index c08cff0ca08df..237d5aceb302d 100644
--- a/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci.c
+++ b/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci.c
@@ -392,14 +392,19 @@ static void vfio_pci_release(void *device_data)
 	if (!(--vdev->refcnt)) {
 		vfio_spapr_pci_eeh_release(vdev->pdev);
 		vfio_pci_disable(vdev);
+		mutex_lock(&vdev->igate);
 		if (vdev->err_trigger) {
 			eventfd_ctx_put(vdev->err_trigger);
 			vdev->err_trigger = NULL;
 		}
+		mutex_unlock(&vdev->igate);
+
+		mutex_lock(&vdev->igate);
 		if (vdev->req_trigger) {
 			eventfd_ctx_put(vdev->req_trigger);
 			vdev->req_trigger = NULL;
 		}
+		mutex_unlock(&vdev->igate);
 	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&driver_lock);