diff --git a/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/core/rtw_mlme.c b/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/core/rtw_mlme.c
index f7db483a5641..f2242cf2dfb4 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/core/rtw_mlme.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/rtl8723bs/core/rtw_mlme.c
@@ -1240,8 +1240,10 @@ void rtw_joinbss_event_prehandle(struct adapter *adapter, u8 *pbuf)
 
 			spin_unlock_bh(&pmlmepriv->scanned_queue.lock);
 
+			spin_unlock_bh(&pmlmepriv->lock);
 			/* s5. Cancel assoc_timer */
 			del_timer_sync(&pmlmepriv->assoc_timer);
+			spin_lock_bh(&pmlmepriv->lock);
 		} else {
 			spin_unlock_bh(&(pmlmepriv->scanned_queue.lock));
 		}
@@ -1547,7 +1549,7 @@ void _rtw_join_timeout_handler(struct timer_list *t)
 	if (adapter->bDriverStopped || adapter->bSurpriseRemoved)
 		return;
 
-	spin_lock_bh(&pmlmepriv->lock);
+	spin_lock_irq(&pmlmepriv->lock);
 
 	if (rtw_to_roam(adapter) > 0) { /* join timeout caused by roaming */
 		while (1) {
@@ -1575,7 +1577,7 @@ void _rtw_join_timeout_handler(struct timer_list *t)
 
 	}
 
-	spin_unlock_bh(&pmlmepriv->lock);
+	spin_unlock_irq(&pmlmepriv->lock);
 }
 
 /*