diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/media_device.h b/include/libcamera/internal/media_device.h
index af0b25b731eb..6e2a63f38229 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/media_device.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/media_device.h
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ private:
 	UniqueFD fd_;
 	bool valid_;
 	bool acquired_;
-	bool lockOwner_;
 
 	std::map<unsigned int, MediaObject *> objects_;
 	std::vector<MediaEntity *> entities_;
diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h b/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
index ec986a518b5c..a7331cedfb16 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ private:
 
 	const char *name_;
 
+	bool lockOwner_;
+
 	friend class PipelineHandlerFactory;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/media_device.cpp b/src/libcamera/media_device.cpp
index 0b7940182d0c..941f86c25f66 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/media_device.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/media_device.cpp
@@ -63,8 +63,7 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(MediaDevice)
  * populate() before the media graph can be queried.
  */
 MediaDevice::MediaDevice(const std::string &deviceNode)
-	: deviceNode_(deviceNode), valid_(false), acquired_(false),
-	  lockOwner_(false)
+	: deviceNode_(deviceNode), valid_(false), acquired_(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -145,15 +144,9 @@ bool MediaDevice::lock()
 	if (!fd_.isValid())
 		return false;
 
-	/* Do not allow nested locking in the same libcamera instance. */
-	if (lockOwner_)
-		return false;
-
 	if (lockf(fd_.get(), F_TLOCK, 0))
 		return false;
 
-	lockOwner_ = true;
-
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -171,11 +164,6 @@ void MediaDevice::unlock()
 	if (!fd_.isValid())
 		return;
 
-	if (!lockOwner_)
-		return;
-
-	lockOwner_ = false;
-
 	lockf(fd_.get(), F_ULOCK, 0);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
index 0bc0e341b9e7..a9241ac62979 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Pipeline)
  * respective factories.
  */
 PipelineHandler::PipelineHandler(CameraManager *manager)
-	: manager_(manager)
+	: manager_(manager), lockOwner_(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ MediaDevice *PipelineHandler::acquireMediaDevice(DeviceEnumerator *enumerator,
  */
 bool PipelineHandler::lock()
 {
+	/* Do not allow nested locking in the same libcamera instance. */
+	if (lockOwner_)
+		return false;
+
 	for (std::shared_ptr<MediaDevice> &media : mediaDevices_) {
 		if (!media->lock()) {
 			unlock();
@@ -162,6 +166,8 @@ bool PipelineHandler::lock()
 		}
 	}
 
+	lockOwner_ = true;
+
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -177,8 +183,13 @@ bool PipelineHandler::lock()
  */
 void PipelineHandler::unlock()
 {
+	if (!lockOwner_)
+		return;
+
 	for (std::shared_ptr<MediaDevice> &media : mediaDevices_)
 		media->unlock();
+
+	lockOwner_ = false;
 }
 
 /**