diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
index a20cd27d..1fc22d6a 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
@@ -205,11 +205,11 @@ void PipelineHandler::release(Camera *camera)
 
 	ASSERT(useCount_);
 
+	releaseDevice(camera);
+
 	if (useCount_ == 1)
 		unlockMediaDevices();
 
-	releaseDevice(camera);
-
 	--useCount_;
 }