diff --git a/ees/elastic.go b/ees/elastic.go
index bcdb3aff1..e71cc977a 100644
--- a/ees/elastic.go
+++ b/ees/elastic.go
@@ -160,12 +160,12 @@ func (eEe *ElasticEE) Cfg() *config.EventExporterCfg { return eEe.cfg }
 
 func (eEe *ElasticEE) Connect() (err error) {
 	eEe.Lock()
+	defer eEe.Unlock()
 	// create the client
 	if eEe.eClnt != nil {
 		return
 	}
 	eEe.eClnt, err = elasticsearch.NewClient(eEe.clnOpts)
-	eEe.Unlock()
 	return
 }