diff --git a/src/slotmap.c b/src/slotmap.c
index 703dd02..aa03638 100644
--- a/src/slotmap.c
+++ b/src/slotmap.c
@@ -115,21 +115,26 @@
 }
 
 /* thread-safe removal of a bank<->client map */
-void slotmap_del(struct slotmaps *maps, struct slot_mapping *map)
+void _slotmap_del(struct slotmaps *maps, struct slot_mapping *map)
 {
 	char mapname[64];
 
 	printf("Slot Map %s deleted\n", slotmap_name(mapname, sizeof(mapname), map));
 
-	pthread_rwlock_wrlock(&maps->rwlock);
 	llist_del(&map->list);
 #ifdef REMSIM_SERVER
 	llist_del(&map->bank_list);
 #endif
-	pthread_rwlock_unlock(&maps->rwlock);
 
 	talloc_free(map);
 }
+/* thread-safe removal of a bank<->client map */
+void slotmap_del(struct slotmaps *maps, struct slot_mapping *map)
+{
+	pthread_rwlock_wrlock(&maps->rwlock);
+	_slotmap_del(maps, map);
+	pthread_rwlock_unlock(&maps->rwlock);
+}
 
 struct slotmaps *slotmap_init(void *ctx)
 {
diff --git a/src/slotmap.h b/src/slotmap.h
index a26de6d..3eb976f 100644
--- a/src/slotmap.h
+++ b/src/slotmap.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@
 
 /* thread-safe removal of a bank<->client map */
 void slotmap_del(struct slotmaps *maps, struct slot_mapping *map);
+void _slotmap_del(struct slotmaps *maps, struct slot_mapping *map);
 
 /* initialize the entire map collection */
 struct slotmaps *slotmap_init(void *ctx);