diff --git a/cores/esp32/esp32-hal-rmt.c b/cores/esp32/esp32-hal-rmt.c
index 309cd13b327..0c711946ddc 100644
--- a/cores/esp32/esp32-hal-rmt.c
+++ b/cores/esp32/esp32-hal-rmt.c
@@ -325,22 +325,23 @@ bool rmtDeinit(rmt_obj_t *rmt)
         return false;
     }
 
-    RMT_MUTEX_LOCK(rmt->channel);
+    int channel = rmt->channel;
+    RMT_MUTEX_LOCK(channel);
     // force stopping rmt processing
     if (rmt->tx_not_rx) {
-        rmt_tx_stop(rmt->channel);
+        rmt_tx_stop(channel);
     } else {
-        rmt_rx_stop(rmt->channel);
+        rmt_rx_stop(channel);
         if(rmt->rxTaskHandle){
             vTaskDelete(rmt->rxTaskHandle);
             rmt->rxTaskHandle = NULL;
         }       
     }
 
-    rmt_driver_uninstall(rmt->channel);
+    rmt_driver_uninstall(channel);
 
-    size_t from = rmt->channel;
-    size_t to = rmt->buffers + rmt->channel;
+    size_t from = channel;
+    size_t to = rmt->buffers + channel;
     size_t i;
 
     for (i = from; i < to; i++) {
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@ bool rmtDeinit(rmt_obj_t *rmt)
 
     g_rmt_objects[from].channel = 0;
     g_rmt_objects[from].buffers = 0;
-    RMT_MUTEX_UNLOCK(rmt->channel);
+    RMT_MUTEX_UNLOCK(channel);
 
 #if !CONFIG_DISABLE_HAL_LOCKS
     if(g_rmt_objlocks[from] != NULL) {