struct elevator_type *e = NULL;
        struct list_head *entry;
 
-       spin_lock_irq(&elv_list_lock);
        list_for_each(entry, &elv_list) {
                struct elevator_type *__e;
 
                        break;
                }
        }
-       spin_unlock_irq(&elv_list_lock);
 
        return e;
 }
 
 static struct elevator_type *elevator_get(const char *name)
 {
-       struct elevator_type *e = elevator_find(name);
+       struct elevator_type *e;
 
-       if (!e)
-               return NULL;
-       if (!try_module_get(e->elevator_owner))
-               return NULL;
+       spin_lock_irq(&elv_list_lock);
+
+       e = elevator_find(name);
+       if (e && !try_module_get(e->elevator_owner))
+               e = NULL;
+
+       spin_unlock_irq(&elv_list_lock);
 
        return e;
 }
 
 static void elevator_setup_default(void)
 {
+       struct elevator_type *e;
+
        /*
         * check if default is set and exists
         */
-       if (chosen_elevator[0] && elevator_find(chosen_elevator))
+       if (chosen_elevator[0] && (e = elevator_get(chosen_elevator))) {
+               elevator_put(e);
                return;
+       }
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_IOSCHED_AS)
        strcpy(chosen_elevator, "anticipatory");
 
 int elv_register(struct elevator_type *e)
 {
+       spin_lock_irq(&elv_list_lock);
        if (elevator_find(e->elevator_name))
                BUG();
-
-       spin_lock_irq(&elv_list_lock);
        list_add_tail(&e->list, &elv_list);
        spin_unlock_irq(&elv_list_lock);