diff --git a/src/source-netmap.c b/src/source-netmap.c
index 0b04b41b52d6..8e409ea00e6f 100644
--- a/src/source-netmap.c
+++ b/src/source-netmap.c
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ static int NetmapOpen(NetmapIfaceSettings *ns, NetmapDevice **pdevice, int verbo
             }
         }
 
+        SCMutexUnlock(&netmap_devlist_lock);
         NetmapCloseAll();
         FatalError("opening devname %s failed: %s", devname, strerror(errno));
     }