diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index e4552ee228..62ed49ddd5 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -3395,7 +3395,6 @@ static bool flatview_access_valid(FlatView *fv, hwaddr addr, int len,
     MemoryRegion *mr;
     hwaddr l, xlat;
 
-    rcu_read_lock();
     while (len > 0) {
         l = len;
         mr = flatview_translate(fv, addr, &xlat, &l, is_write);
@@ -3410,15 +3409,20 @@ static bool flatview_access_valid(FlatView *fv, hwaddr addr, int len,
         len -= l;
         addr += l;
     }
-    rcu_read_unlock();
     return true;
 }
 
 bool address_space_access_valid(AddressSpace *as, hwaddr addr,
                                 int len, bool is_write)
 {
-    return flatview_access_valid(address_space_to_flatview(as),
-                                 addr, len, is_write);
+    FlatView *fv;
+    bool result;
+
+    rcu_read_lock();
+    fv = address_space_to_flatview(as);
+    result = flatview_access_valid(fv, addr, len, is_write);
+    rcu_read_unlock();
+    return result;
 }
 
 static hwaddr