diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
index 4b62fb052c82..8fe5f46ff7bb 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ static int store_utf8(u16 c, char *p)
  *	The entire selection process is managed under the console_lock. It's
  *	 a lot under the lock but its hardly a performance path
  */
-int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *tty)
+static int __set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *tty)
 {
 	struct vc_data *vc = vc_cons[fg_console].d;
 	int sel_mode, new_sel_start, new_sel_end, spc;
@@ -333,6 +333,17 @@ unlock:
 	return ret;
 }
 
+int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	console_lock();
+	ret = __set_selection(v, tty);
+	console_unlock();
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 /* Insert the contents of the selection buffer into the
  * queue of the tty associated with the current console.
  * Invoked by ioctl().
diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
index 06761fcedeff..826433af4bdd 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
@@ -2688,9 +2688,7 @@ int tioclinux(struct tty_struct *tty, unsigned long arg)
 	switch (type)
 	{
 		case TIOCL_SETSEL:
-			console_lock();
 			ret = set_selection((struct tiocl_selection __user *)(p+1), tty);
-			console_unlock();
 			break;
 		case TIOCL_PASTESEL:
 			ret = paste_selection(tty);