diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_context.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_context.c
index 88f6253f5405..a2e57e62af30 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_context.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gem/i915_gem_context.c
@@ -1236,12 +1236,14 @@ gen8_modify_rpcs(struct intel_context *ce, struct intel_sseu sseu)
 	 * image, or into the registers directory, does not stick). Pristine
 	 * and idle contexts will be configured on pinning.
 	 */
-	if (!intel_context_is_pinned(ce))
+	if (!intel_context_pin_if_active(ce))
 		return 0;
 
 	rq = intel_engine_create_kernel_request(ce->engine);
-	if (IS_ERR(rq))
-		return PTR_ERR(rq);
+	if (IS_ERR(rq)) {
+		ret = PTR_ERR(rq);
+		goto out_unpin;
+	}
 
 	/* Serialise with the remote context */
 	ret = intel_context_prepare_remote_request(ce, rq);
@@ -1249,6 +1251,8 @@ gen8_modify_rpcs(struct intel_context *ce, struct intel_sseu sseu)
 		ret = gen8_emit_rpcs_config(rq, ce, sseu);
 
 	i915_request_add(rq);
+out_unpin:
+	intel_context_unpin(ce);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_context.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_context.h
index 0f5ae4ff3b10..63073ebc6cf1 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_context.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_context.h
@@ -76,9 +76,14 @@ static inline void intel_context_unlock_pinned(struct intel_context *ce)
 
 int __intel_context_do_pin(struct intel_context *ce);
 
+static inline bool intel_context_pin_if_active(struct intel_context *ce)
+{
+	return atomic_inc_not_zero(&ce->pin_count);
+}
+
 static inline int intel_context_pin(struct intel_context *ce)
 {
-	if (likely(atomic_inc_not_zero(&ce->pin_count)))
+	if (likely(intel_context_pin_if_active(ce)))
 		return 0;
 
 	return __intel_context_do_pin(ce);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c
index 0ac98e39eb75..db184536acef 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_debugfs.c
@@ -321,16 +321,15 @@ static void print_context_stats(struct seq_file *m,
 
 		for_each_gem_engine(ce,
 				    i915_gem_context_lock_engines(ctx), it) {
-			intel_context_lock_pinned(ce);
-			if (intel_context_is_pinned(ce)) {
+			if (intel_context_pin_if_active(ce)) {
 				rcu_read_lock();
 				if (ce->state)
 					per_file_stats(0,
 						       ce->state->obj, &kstats);
 				per_file_stats(0, ce->ring->vma->obj, &kstats);
 				rcu_read_unlock();
+				intel_context_unpin(ce);
 			}
-			intel_context_unlock_pinned(ce);
 		}
 		i915_gem_context_unlock_engines(ctx);
 
@@ -1513,15 +1512,14 @@ static int i915_context_status(struct seq_file *m, void *unused)
 
 		for_each_gem_engine(ce,
 				    i915_gem_context_lock_engines(ctx), it) {
-			intel_context_lock_pinned(ce);
-			if (intel_context_is_pinned(ce)) {
+			if (intel_context_pin_if_active(ce)) {
 				seq_printf(m, "%s: ", ce->engine->name);
 				if (ce->state)
 					describe_obj(m, ce->state->obj);
 				describe_ctx_ring(m, ce->ring);
 				seq_putc(m, '\n');
+				intel_context_unpin(ce);
 			}
-			intel_context_unlock_pinned(ce);
 		}
 		i915_gem_context_unlock_engines(ctx);
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_perf.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_perf.c
index 84350c7bc711..0f556d80ba36 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_perf.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_perf.c
@@ -2159,8 +2159,6 @@ static int gen8_modify_context(struct intel_context *ce,
 	struct i915_request *rq;
 	int err;
 
-	lockdep_assert_held(&ce->pin_mutex);
-
 	rq = intel_engine_create_kernel_request(ce->engine);
 	if (IS_ERR(rq))
 		return PTR_ERR(rq);
@@ -2203,17 +2201,14 @@ static int gen8_configure_context(struct i915_gem_context *ctx,
 		if (ce->engine->class != RENDER_CLASS)
 			continue;
 
-		err = intel_context_lock_pinned(ce);
-		if (err)
-			break;
+		/* Otherwise OA settings will be set upon first use */
+		if (!intel_context_pin_if_active(ce))
+			continue;
 
 		flex->value = intel_sseu_make_rpcs(ctx->i915, &ce->sseu);
+		err = gen8_modify_context(ce, flex, count);
 
-		/* Otherwise OA settings will be set upon first use */
-		if (intel_context_is_pinned(ce))
-			err = gen8_modify_context(ce, flex, count);
-
-		intel_context_unlock_pinned(ce);
+		intel_context_unpin(ce);
 		if (err)
 			break;
 	}