diff --git a/internal/federation/federatingdb/lock.go b/internal/federation/federatingdb/lock.go
index 22f2bb77a..4609cd99e 100644
--- a/internal/federation/federatingdb/lock.go
+++ b/internal/federation/federatingdb/lock.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func (f *federatingDB) Lock(c context.Context, id *url.URL) error {
 
 	// Acquire map lock
 	f.mutex.Lock()
+	defer f.mutex.Unlock()
 
 	// Get mutex, or create new
 	mu, ok := f.locks[idStr]
@@ -63,8 +64,7 @@ func (f *federatingDB) Lock(c context.Context, id *url.URL) error {
 		f.locks[idStr] = mu
 	}
 
-	// Unlock map, acquire mutex lock
-	f.mutex.Unlock()
+	// Lock the mutex
 	mu.Lock()
 	return nil
 }
@@ -81,13 +81,13 @@ func (f *federatingDB) Unlock(c context.Context, id *url.URL) error {
 	}
 	idStr := id.String()
 
-	// Check map for mutex
+	// Acquire map lock
 	f.mutex.Lock()
-	mu, ok := f.locks[idStr]
-	f.mutex.Unlock()
+	defer f.mutex.Unlock()
 
+	mu, ok := f.locks[idStr]
 	if !ok {
-		return errors.New("missing an id in unlock")
+		return errors.New("Unlock: missing an id in unlock")
 	}
 
 	// Unlock the mutex