diff --git a/drivers/base/genlock.c b/drivers/base/genlock.c
index 27717e0..1507915 100644
--- a/drivers/base/genlock.c
+++ b/drivers/base/genlock.c
@@ -496,12 +496,7 @@
 	return ret;
 }
 
-/**
- * genlock_release_lock - Release a lock attached to a handle
- * @handle - Pointer to the handle holding the lock
- */
-
-void genlock_release_lock(struct genlock_handle *handle)
+static void genlock_release_lock(struct genlock_handle *handle)
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
 
@@ -522,7 +517,6 @@
 	handle->lock = NULL;
 	handle->active = 0;
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(genlock_release_lock);
 
 /*
  * Release function called when all references to a handle are released
@@ -671,8 +665,13 @@
 		return genlock_wait(handle, param.timeout);
 	}
 	case GENLOCK_IOC_RELEASE: {
-		genlock_release_lock(handle);
-		return 0;
+		/*
+		 * Return error - this ioctl has been deprecated.
+		 * Locks should only be released when the handle is
+		 * destroyed
+		 */
+		GENLOCK_LOG_ERR("Deprecated RELEASE ioctl called\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	default:
 		GENLOCK_LOG_ERR("Invalid ioctl\n");