diff --git a/drivers/ide/ide-tape.c b/drivers/ide/ide-tape.c
index 1e1f263..a3d2283 100644
--- a/drivers/ide/ide-tape.c
+++ b/drivers/ide/ide-tape.c
@@ -2421,9 +2421,12 @@
 	if (i >= MAX_HWIFS * MAX_DRIVES)
 		return -ENXIO;
 
+	lock_kernel();
 	tape = ide_tape_chrdev_get(i);
-	if (!tape)
+	if (!tape) {
+		unlock_kernel();
 		return -ENXIO;
+	}
 
 	debug_log(DBG_CHRDEV, "Enter %s\n", __func__);
 
@@ -2482,10 +2485,12 @@
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	unlock_kernel();
 	return 0;
 
 out_put_tape:
 	ide_tape_put(tape);
+	unlock_kernel();
 	return retval;
 }