diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index be21282e2..bc50c1c63 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ ver 0.16.1 (2010/??/??)
   - solaris: add missing parameter to open_cloexec() cal
   - osx: fix up audio format first, then apply it to device
 * player_thread: fix assertion failure due to early seek
+* output_thread: fix double lock
 
 
 ver 0.16 (2010/12/11)
diff --git a/src/output_thread.c b/src/output_thread.c
index a334fcef5..a5244c693 100644
--- a/src/output_thread.c
+++ b/src/output_thread.c
@@ -463,12 +463,9 @@ ao_play_chunk(struct audio_output *ao, const struct music_chunk *chunk)
 
 			/* don't automatically reopen this device for
 			   10 seconds */
-			g_mutex_lock(ao->mutex);
-
 			assert(ao->fail_timer == NULL);
 			ao->fail_timer = g_timer_new();
 
-			g_mutex_unlock(ao->mutex);
 			return false;
 		}