diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index 47835c1dc1..c95ae3344d 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -2960,6 +2960,7 @@ bool address_space_access_valid(AddressSpace *as, hwaddr addr, int len, bool is_
         if (!memory_access_is_direct(mr, is_write)) {
             l = memory_access_size(mr, l, addr);
             if (!memory_region_access_valid(mr, xlat, l, is_write)) {
+                rcu_read_unlock();
                 return false;
             }
         }