diff --git a/sched/semaphore/sem_trywait.c b/sched/semaphore/sem_trywait.c
index 9dc0092a4a6..4f9ab9a4101 100644
--- a/sched/semaphore/sem_trywait.c
+++ b/sched/semaphore/sem_trywait.c
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ int nxsem_trywait_slow(FAR sem_t *sem)
           atomic_fetch_add(NXSEM_COUNT(sem), 1);
         }
 
-      leave_critical_section(flags);
       goto out;
     }