diff --git a/Modules/_threadmodule.c b/Modules/_threadmodule.c
index 3a8f77d6dfbbc6..7587ac00eef60c 100644
--- a/Modules/_threadmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_threadmodule.c
@@ -390,8 +390,8 @@ lock_PyThread_release_lock(lockobject *self, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    PyThread_release_lock(self->lock_lock);
     self->locked = 0;
+    PyThread_release_lock(self->lock_lock);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -1665,8 +1665,8 @@ release_sentinel(void *weakref_raw)
     lockobject *lock = (lockobject *)_PyWeakref_GET_REF(weakref);
     if (lock != NULL) {
         if (lock->locked) {
-            PyThread_release_lock(lock->lock_lock);
             lock->locked = 0;
+            PyThread_release_lock(lock->lock_lock);
         }
         Py_DECREF(lock);
     }