diff --git a/xen/drivers/char/console.c b/xen/drivers/char/console.c
index acfc49d558..5c621b39bd 100644
--- a/xen/drivers/char/console.c
+++ b/xen/drivers/char/console.c
@@ -521,6 +521,8 @@ struct domain *console_get_domain(void)
 {
     struct domain *d;
 
+    nrspin_lock_irq(&console_lock);
+
     if ( console_rx == 0 )
             return NULL;
 
@@ -540,6 +542,8 @@ void console_put_domain(struct domain *d)
 {
     if ( d )
         rcu_unlock_domain(d);
+
+    nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
 }
 
 static void console_switch_input(void)
@@ -598,11 +602,10 @@ static void __serial_rx(char c)
     if ( console_rx == 0 )
         return handle_keypress(c, false);
 
-    nrspin_lock_irq(&console_lock);
     d = console_get_domain();
     if ( !d )
     {
-        nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
+        console_put_domain(d);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -640,7 +643,6 @@ static void __serial_rx(char c)
                      rc);
 
     console_put_domain(d);
-    nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
 }
 
 static void cf_check serial_rx(char c)
@@ -754,7 +756,6 @@ static long guest_console_write(XEN_GUEST_HANDLE_PARAM(char) buffer,
         if ( copy_from_guest(kbuf, buffer, kcount) )
             return -EFAULT;
 
-        nrspin_lock_irq(&console_lock);
         input = console_get_domain();
         if ( input && cd == input )
         {
@@ -766,14 +767,12 @@ static long guest_console_write(XEN_GUEST_HANDLE_PARAM(char) buffer,
             /* Use direct console output as it could be interactive */
             console_send(kbuf, kcount, flags);
             console_put_domain(input);
-            nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
         }
         else
         {
             char *kin = kbuf, *kout = kbuf, c;
 
             console_put_domain(input);
-            nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
             /* Strip non-printable characters */
             do
             {
@@ -836,12 +835,10 @@ long do_console_io(
         if ( count > INT_MAX )
             break;
 
-        nrspin_lock_irq(&console_lock);
         d = console_get_domain();
         if ( d != current->domain )
         {
             console_put_domain(d);
-            nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
             return 0;
         }
 
@@ -854,18 +851,23 @@ long do_console_io(
                 len = SERIAL_RX_SIZE - idx;
             if ( (rc + len) > count )
                 len = count - rc;
+
+            console_put_domain(d);
             if ( copy_to_guest_offset(buffer, rc, &serial_rx_ring[idx], len) )
             {
                 rc = -EFAULT;
+                break;
+            }
+            d = console_get_domain();
+            if ( d != current->domain )
+            {
                 console_put_domain(d);
-                nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
                 break;
             }
             rc += len;
             serial_rx_cons += len;
         }
         console_put_domain(d);
-        nrspin_unlock_irq(&console_lock);
         break;
     default:
         rc = -ENOSYS;