diff --git a/sound/soc/intel/sst-firmware.c b/sound/soc/intel/sst-firmware.c
index c451398b058c..4a5bde9c686b 100644
--- a/sound/soc/intel/sst-firmware.c
+++ b/sound/soc/intel/sst-firmware.c
@@ -1120,6 +1120,7 @@ int sst_block_alloc_scratch(struct sst_dsp *dsp)
 	ret = block_list_prepare(dsp, &dsp->scratch_block_list);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		dev_err(dsp->dev, "error: scratch block prepare failed\n");
+		mutex_unlock(&dsp->mutex);
 		return ret;
 	}