diff --git a/nova/openstack/common/lockutils.py b/nova/openstack/common/lockutils.py
index 29827dd532f3..cea31544ec37 100644
--- a/nova/openstack/common/lockutils.py
+++ b/nova/openstack/common/lockutils.py
@@ -227,13 +227,15 @@ def lock(name, lock_file_prefix=None, external=False, lock_path=None):
     int_lock = internal_lock(name)
     with int_lock:
         LOG.debug('Acquired semaphore "%(lock)s"', {'lock': name})
-        if external and not CONF.disable_process_locking:
-            ext_lock = external_lock(name, lock_file_prefix, lock_path)
-            with ext_lock:
-                yield ext_lock
-        else:
-            yield int_lock
-        LOG.debug('Releasing semaphore "%(lock)s"', {'lock': name})
+        try:
+            if external and not CONF.disable_process_locking:
+                ext_lock = external_lock(name, lock_file_prefix, lock_path)
+                with ext_lock:
+                    yield ext_lock
+            else:
+                yield int_lock
+        finally:
+            LOG.debug('Releasing semaphore "%(lock)s"', {'lock': name})
 
 
 def synchronized(name, lock_file_prefix=None, external=False, lock_path=None):