diff --git a/dir.go b/dir.go
index 35da465..0dc34e2 100644
--- a/dir.go
+++ b/dir.go
@@ -116,9 +116,6 @@ func (vd *verDir) createFile(name string, flags fuse.OpenFlags, mode os.FileMode
 }
 
 func (vd *verDir) removeDir(name string) error {
-	vd.mutex.Lock()
-	defer vd.mutex.Unlock()
-
 	if err := vd.version(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -132,14 +129,14 @@ func (vd *verDir) removeDir(name string) error {
 		vd.node.ver.meta.removeNode(node.path)
 	}
 
+	vd.mutex.Lock()
 	delete(vd.dirs, name)
+	vd.mutex.Unlock()
+
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (vd *verDir) removeFile(name string) error {
-	vd.mutex.Lock()
-	defer vd.mutex.Unlock()
-
 	if err := vd.version(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -153,7 +150,10 @@ func (vd *verDir) removeFile(name string) error {
 		vd.node.ver.meta.removeNode(node.path)
 	}
 
+	vd.mutex.Lock()
 	delete(vd.files, name)
+	vd.mutex.Unlock()
+
 	return nil
 }