diff --git a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/driver_common.c b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/driver_common.c
index c2bd9d78e..b12917d68 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/driver_common.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/driver_common.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ static void nvgpu_init_vars(struct gk20a *g)
 	nvgpu_mutex_init(&platform->railgate_lock);
 	nvgpu_mutex_init(&g->dbg_sessions_lock);
 	nvgpu_mutex_init(&g->client_lock);
+	nvgpu_mutex_init(&g->poweron_lock);
 	nvgpu_mutex_init(&g->poweroff_lock);
 
 	g->regs_saved = g->regs;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/module.c b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/module.c
index b107a7213..0b5dfec83 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/module.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/common/linux/module.c
@@ -88,15 +88,18 @@ int gk20a_busy(struct gk20a *g)
 			goto fail;
 		}
 	} else {
+		nvgpu_mutex_acquire(&g->poweron_lock);
 		if (!g->power_on) {
 			ret = gk20a_gpu_is_virtual(dev) ?
 				vgpu_pm_finalize_poweron(dev)
 				: gk20a_pm_finalize_poweron(dev);
 			if (ret) {
 				atomic_dec(&g->usage_count);
+				nvgpu_mutex_release(&g->poweron_lock);
 				goto fail;
 			}
 		}
+		nvgpu_mutex_release(&g->poweron_lock);
 	}
 
 fail:
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/gk20a.h b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/gk20a.h
index 9203882cf..d45477fc1 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/gk20a.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/gk20a/gk20a.h
@@ -1075,6 +1075,7 @@ struct gk20a {
 #endif
 	unsigned int ch_wdt_timeout_ms;
 
+	struct nvgpu_mutex poweron_lock;
 	struct nvgpu_mutex poweroff_lock;
 
 	/* Channel priorities */
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/vgpu/vgpu.c b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/vgpu/vgpu.c
index f02acad08..bd52dc0a6 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/vgpu/vgpu.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/nvgpu/vgpu/vgpu.c
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ static void vgpu_remove_support(struct gk20a *g)
 
 static void vgpu_init_vars(struct gk20a *g, struct gk20a_platform *platform)
 {
+	nvgpu_mutex_init(&g->poweron_lock);
 	nvgpu_mutex_init(&g->poweroff_lock);
 	g->regs_saved = g->regs;
 	g->bar1_saved = g->bar1;