diff --git a/gobject/ChangeLog b/gobject/ChangeLog
index 0c38ec783..58cdbfcae 100644
--- a/gobject/ChangeLog
+++ b/gobject/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+Fri Dec 15 2006  Matthias Clasen  <mclasen@redhat.com>
+
+	* gtype.c (instance_real_class_get): Dereference the pointer
+	before dropping the lock.  (#378078, Jonathan Matthew)
+
 2006-10-01  Matthias Clasen  <mclasen@redhat.com>
 	
 	* === Released 2.12.4 ===
diff --git a/gobject/gtype.c b/gobject/gtype.c
index 12ce66fe8..44620db6c 100644
--- a/gobject/gtype.c
+++ b/gobject/gtype.c
@@ -1511,11 +1511,13 @@ static inline GTypeClass*
 instance_real_class_get (gpointer instance)
 {
   InstanceRealClass key, *node;
+  GTypeClass *class;
   key.instance = instance;
   G_LOCK (instance_real_class);
   node = instance_real_class_bsa ? g_bsearch_array_lookup (instance_real_class_bsa, &instance_real_class_bconfig, &key) : NULL;
+  class = node ? node->class : NULL;
   G_UNLOCK (instance_real_class);
-  return node ? node->class : NULL;
+  return class;
 }
 
 GTypeInstance*