diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext.c
index e45a3058d2cff..72a75b40e116b 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -3272,7 +3272,7 @@ static const char *scx_exit_reason(enum scx_exit_kind kind)
 
 static void scx_ops_disable_workfn(struct kthread_work *work)
 {
-	struct scx_exit_info *ei = scx_exit_info;
+	struct scx_exit_info *ei;
 	struct scx_task_iter sti;
 	struct task_struct *p;
 	struct rhashtable_iter rht_iter;
@@ -3291,14 +3291,27 @@ static void scx_ops_disable_workfn(struct kthread_work *work)
 		if (atomic_try_cmpxchg(&scx_exit_kind, &kind, SCX_EXIT_DONE))
 			break;
 	}
+
+	/* guarantee forward progress by bypassing scx_ops */
+	scx_ops_bypass(true);
+
+	/*
+	 * Here, every runnable task is guaranteed to make forward progress and
+	 * we can safely use blocking synchronization constructs. Actually
+	 * disable ops.
+	 */
+	mutex_lock(&scx_ops_enable_mutex);
+
+	ei = scx_exit_info;
+	if (!ei) {
+		mutex_unlock(&scx_ops_enable_mutex);
+		goto done;
+	}
 	ei->kind = kind;
 	ei->reason = scx_exit_reason(ei->kind);
 
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&scx_watchdog_work);
 
-	/* guarantee forward progress by bypassing scx_ops */
-	scx_ops_bypass(true);
-
 	switch (scx_ops_set_enable_state(SCX_OPS_DISABLING)) {
 	case SCX_OPS_DISABLING:
 		WARN_ONCE(true, "sched_ext: duplicate disabling instance?");
@@ -3313,13 +3326,6 @@ static void scx_ops_disable_workfn(struct kthread_work *work)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Here, every runnable task is guaranteed to make forward progress and
-	 * we can safely use blocking synchronization constructs. Actually
-	 * disable ops.
-	 */
-	mutex_lock(&scx_ops_enable_mutex);
-
 	static_branch_disable(&__scx_switched_all);
 	WRITE_ONCE(scx_switching_all, false);
 
@@ -3614,13 +3620,13 @@ static int scx_ops_enable(struct sched_ext_ops *ops)
 			   scx_create_rt_helper("sched_ext_ops_helper"));
 		if (!scx_ops_helper) {
 			ret = -ENOMEM;
-			goto err;
+			goto err_unlock;
 		}
 	}
 
 	if (scx_ops_enable_state() != SCX_OPS_DISABLED) {
 		ret = -EBUSY;
-		goto err;
+		goto err_unlock;
 	}
 
 	scx_exit_info = alloc_exit_info();
@@ -3868,6 +3874,7 @@ static int scx_ops_enable(struct sched_ext_ops *ops)
 		free_exit_info(scx_exit_info);
 		scx_exit_info = NULL;
 	}
+err_unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&scx_ops_enable_mutex);
 	return ret;