diff --git a/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c b/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c
index 07a22c74fe810..4bd3ceffde171 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c
@@ -943,10 +943,16 @@ static void mv88e6xxx_mac_link_up(struct dsa_switch *ds, int port,
 
 static int mv88e6xxx_stats_snapshot(struct mv88e6xxx_chip *chip, int port)
 {
+	int err;
+
 	if (!chip->info->ops->stats_snapshot)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
-	return chip->info->ops->stats_snapshot(chip, port);
+	mv88e6xxx_reg_lock(chip);
+	err = chip->info->ops->stats_snapshot(chip, port);
+	mv88e6xxx_reg_unlock(chip);
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 static struct mv88e6xxx_hw_stat mv88e6xxx_hw_stats[] = {
@@ -1284,16 +1290,11 @@ static void mv88e6xxx_get_ethtool_stats(struct dsa_switch *ds, int port,
 	struct mv88e6xxx_chip *chip = ds->priv;
 	int ret;
 
-	mv88e6xxx_reg_lock(chip);
-
 	ret = mv88e6xxx_stats_snapshot(chip, port);
-	mv88e6xxx_reg_unlock(chip);
-
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return;
 
 	mv88e6xxx_get_stats(chip, port, data);
-
 }
 
 static int mv88e6xxx_get_regs_len(struct dsa_switch *ds, int port)