diff --git a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-dev.c b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-dev.c
index c8859d6ff6ad..b2f207f65609 100644
--- a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-dev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-dev.c
@@ -868,6 +868,7 @@ int __video_register_device(struct video_device *vdev, int type, int nr,
 
 	/* Should not happen since we thought this minor was free */
 	WARN_ON(video_device[vdev->minor] != NULL);
+	video_device[vdev->minor] = vdev;
 	vdev->index = get_index(vdev);
 	mutex_unlock(&videodev_lock);
 
@@ -930,9 +931,6 @@ int __video_register_device(struct video_device *vdev, int type, int nr,
 #endif
 	/* Part 6: Activate this minor. The char device can now be used. */
 	set_bit(V4L2_FL_REGISTERED, &vdev->flags);
-	mutex_lock(&videodev_lock);
-	video_device[vdev->minor] = vdev;
-	mutex_unlock(&videodev_lock);
 
 	return 0;
 
@@ -940,6 +938,7 @@ int __video_register_device(struct video_device *vdev, int type, int nr,
 	mutex_lock(&videodev_lock);
 	if (vdev->cdev)
 		cdev_del(vdev->cdev);
+	video_device[vdev->minor] = NULL;
 	devnode_clear(vdev);
 	mutex_unlock(&videodev_lock);
 	/* Mark this video device as never having been registered. */