diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index cc769ecc0..f7f8cb81f 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 
  Changes between 1.0.0j and 1.0.0k [xx XXX xxxx]
 
-  *)
+  *) Fix possible deadlock when decoding public keys.
+     [Steve Henson]
 
  Changes between 1.0.0i and 1.0.0j [10 May 2012]
 
diff --git a/crypto/asn1/x_pubkey.c b/crypto/asn1/x_pubkey.c
index 627ec87f9..b649e1fcf 100644
--- a/crypto/asn1/x_pubkey.c
+++ b/crypto/asn1/x_pubkey.c
@@ -175,12 +175,15 @@ EVP_PKEY *X509_PUBKEY_get(X509_PUBKEY *key)
 	CRYPTO_w_lock(CRYPTO_LOCK_EVP_PKEY);
 	if (key->pkey)
 		{
+		CRYPTO_w_unlock(CRYPTO_LOCK_EVP_PKEY);
 		EVP_PKEY_free(ret);
 		ret = key->pkey;
 		}
 	else
+		{
 		key->pkey = ret;
-	CRYPTO_w_unlock(CRYPTO_LOCK_EVP_PKEY);
+		CRYPTO_w_unlock(CRYPTO_LOCK_EVP_PKEY);
+		}
 	CRYPTO_add(&ret->references, 1, CRYPTO_LOCK_EVP_PKEY);
 
 	return ret;