diff --git a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
index 76963d060..658f9fbce 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -1033,11 +1033,12 @@ func (c *Cluster) processPodEvent(obj interface{}) error {
 	}
 
 	c.podSubscribersMu.RLock()
+	defer c.podSubscribersMu.RUnlock()
+
 	subscriber, ok := c.podSubscribers[spec.NamespacedName(event.PodName)]
 	if ok {
 		subscriber <- event
 	}
-	c.podSubscribersMu.RUnlock()
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/pod.go b/pkg/cluster/pod.go
index a7d4d68aa..156d5dce6 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/pod.go
@@ -149,13 +149,14 @@ func (c *Cluster) deletePod(podName spec.NamespacedName) error {
 func (c *Cluster) unregisterPodSubscriber(podName spec.NamespacedName) {
 	c.logger.Debugf("unsubscribing from pod %q events", podName)
 	c.podSubscribersMu.Lock()
+	defer c.podSubscribersMu.Unlock()
+
 	ch, ok := c.podSubscribers[podName]
 	if !ok {
 		panic("subscriber for pod '" + podName.String() + "' is not found")
 	}
 
 	delete(c.podSubscribers, podName)
-	c.podSubscribersMu.Unlock()
 	close(ch)
 }