diff --git a/servers/slapd/bind.c b/servers/slapd/bind.c
index 6e476a0526..9d8f6ba159 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/bind.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/bind.c
@@ -575,8 +575,8 @@ do_bind(
 
 cleanup:
 	if( conn->c_sasl_bindop != NULL ) {
-		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &conn->c_sasl_bindmutex );
 		conn->c_sasl_bindop = NULL;
+		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &conn->c_sasl_bindmutex );
 	}
 
 	if( pdn.bv_val != NULL ) {