diff --git a/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c b/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c
index 51e99fe256..42ff09f811 100644
--- a/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c
+++ b/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c
@@ -366,8 +366,8 @@ int epoll_ctl(int epfd, int op, int fd, FAR struct epoll_event *ev)
         goto err;
     }
 
-  nxmutex_unlock(&eph->lock);
   poll_notify(&eph->poll, 1, POLLIN);
+  nxmutex_unlock(&eph->lock);
   return OK;
 
 err: