diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext.c
index c7b159f48834..a6d6d6dadde5 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -2575,6 +2575,9 @@ static void dispatch_to_local_dsq(struct rq *rq, struct scx_dispatch_q *dst_dsq,
 {
 	struct rq *src_rq = task_rq(p);
 	struct rq *dst_rq = container_of(dst_dsq, struct rq, scx.local_dsq);
+#ifdef CONFIG_SMP
+	struct rq *locked_rq = rq;
+#endif
 
 	/*
 	 * We're synchronized against dequeue through DISPATCHING. As @p can't
@@ -2611,8 +2614,9 @@ static void dispatch_to_local_dsq(struct rq *rq, struct scx_dispatch_q *dst_dsq,
 	atomic_long_set_release(&p->scx.ops_state, SCX_OPSS_NONE);
 
 	/* switch to @src_rq lock */
-	if (rq != src_rq) {
-		raw_spin_rq_unlock(rq);
+	if (locked_rq != src_rq) {
+		raw_spin_rq_unlock(locked_rq);
+		locked_rq = src_rq;
 		raw_spin_rq_lock(src_rq);
 	}
 
@@ -2630,6 +2634,8 @@ static void dispatch_to_local_dsq(struct rq *rq, struct scx_dispatch_q *dst_dsq,
 		} else {
 			move_remote_task_to_local_dsq(p, enq_flags,
 						      src_rq, dst_rq);
+			/* task has been moved to dst_rq, which is now locked */
+			locked_rq = dst_rq;
 		}
 
 		/* if the destination CPU is idle, wake it up */
@@ -2638,8 +2644,8 @@ static void dispatch_to_local_dsq(struct rq *rq, struct scx_dispatch_q *dst_dsq,
 	}
 
 	/* switch back to @rq lock */
-	if (rq != dst_rq) {
-		raw_spin_rq_unlock(dst_rq);
+	if (locked_rq != rq) {
+		raw_spin_rq_unlock(locked_rq);
 		raw_spin_rq_lock(rq);
 	}
 #else	/* CONFIG_SMP */