diff --git a/src/detect-engine.c b/src/detect-engine.c
index db5a9d4197..8c0031b8d6 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine.c
@@ -2004,9 +2004,10 @@ int DetectRegisterThreadCtxGlobalFuncs(const char *name,
     }
 
     item = SCCalloc(1, sizeof(*item));
-    if (unlikely(item == NULL))
+    if (unlikely(item == NULL)) {
+        SCMutexUnlock(&master->lock);
         return -1;
-
+    }
     item->InitFunc = InitFunc;
     item->FreeFunc = FreeFunc;
     item->name = name;