diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zNMethod.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zNMethod.cpp
index 9ef01250727..64b28bc7871 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zNMethod.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zNMethod.cpp
@@ -294,13 +294,14 @@ public:
       return;
     }
 
-    ZLocker<ZReentrantLock> locker(ZNMethod::lock_for_nmethod(nm));
-
     if (nm->is_unloading()) {
+      ZLocker<ZReentrantLock> locker(ZNMethod::lock_for_nmethod(nm));
       unlink(nm);
       return;
     }
 
+    ZLocker<ZReentrantLock> locker(ZNMethod::lock_for_nmethod(nm));
+
     // Heal oops and disarm
     ZNMethodOopClosure cl;
     ZNMethod::nmethod_oops_do(nm, &cl);