diff --git a/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c b/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c
index 789280785b..8f73d3b570 100644
--- a/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c
+++ b/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_driver.c
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ nwfilterStateInitialize(bool privileged,
     if (!privileged)
         return 0;
 
+    nwfilterDriverLock(driverState);
+
     if (virNWFilterIPAddrMapInit() < 0)
         goto err_free_driverstate;
     if (virNWFilterLearnInit() < 0)
@@ -202,8 +204,6 @@ nwfilterStateInitialize(bool privileged,
     if (virNWFilterConfLayerInit(virNWFilterDomainFWUpdateCB) < 0)
         goto err_techdrivers_shutdown;
 
-    nwfilterDriverLock(driverState);
-
     /*
      * startup the DBus late so we don't get a reload signal while
      * initializing
@@ -315,16 +315,10 @@ nwfilterStateReload(void) {
 bool
 virNWFilterDriverIsWatchingFirewallD(void)
 {
-    bool ret;
-
     if (!driverState)
         return false;
 
-    nwfilterDriverLock(driverState);
-    ret = driverState->watchingFirewallD;
-    nwfilterDriverUnlock(driverState);
-
-    return ret;
+    return driverState->watchingFirewallD;
 }
 
 /**