diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
index 6581c35f51ee89882695840e7a394934c145f772..44c5dc0469122d4aee54b924e432e049a86b6bc5 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
@@ -1295,15 +1295,22 @@ int pblk_line_recov_alloc(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
 
 	ret = pblk_line_alloc_bitmaps(pblk, line);
 	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+		goto fail;
 
 	if (!pblk_line_init_bb(pblk, line, 0)) {
-		list_add(&line->list, &l_mg->free_list);
-		return -EINTR;
+		ret = -EINTR;
+		goto fail;
 	}
 
 	pblk_rl_free_lines_dec(&pblk->rl, line, true);
 	return 0;
+
+fail:
+	spin_lock(&l_mg->free_lock);
+	list_add(&line->list, &l_mg->free_list);
+	spin_unlock(&l_mg->free_lock);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 void pblk_line_recov_close(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)