diff --git a/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c b/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c
index c8008dd..640ded8 100644
--- a/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c
+++ b/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c
@@ -274,9 +274,7 @@
 	struct task_cputime sum;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&cputimer->lock, flags);
 	if (!cputimer->running) {
-		cputimer->running = 1;
 		/*
 		 * The POSIX timer interface allows for absolute time expiry
 		 * values through the TIMER_ABSTIME flag, therefore we have
@@ -284,8 +282,11 @@
 		 * it.
 		 */
 		thread_group_cputime(tsk, &sum);
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&cputimer->lock, flags);
+		cputimer->running = 1;
 		update_gt_cputime(&cputimer->cputime, &sum);
-	}
+	} else
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&cputimer->lock, flags);
 	*times = cputimer->cputime;
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cputimer->lock, flags);
 }