diff --git a/lib/dns/zone.c b/lib/dns/zone.c
index aec813d281..18b5172a15 100644
--- a/lib/dns/zone.c
+++ b/lib/dns/zone.c
@@ -19514,10 +19514,11 @@ zone_rekey(dns_zone_t *zone) {
 
 	dns_db_closeversion(db, &ver, true);
 
+	LOCK_ZONE(zone);
+
 	if (commit) {
 		dns_difftuple_t *tuple;
 
-		LOCK_ZONE(zone);
 		DNS_ZONE_SETFLAG(zone, DNS_ZONEFLG_NEEDNOTIFY);
 
 		zone_needdump(zone, DNS_DUMP_DELAY);
@@ -19639,10 +19640,8 @@ zone_rekey(dns_zone_t *zone) {
 		 * Schedule the next resigning event
 		 */
 		set_resigntime(zone);
-		UNLOCK_ZONE(zone);
 	}
 
-	LOCK_ZONE(zone);
 	isc_time_settoepoch(&zone->refreshkeytime);
 
 	/*