diff --git a/runtime/internal/rpc/stream/vc/writer.go b/runtime/internal/rpc/stream/vc/writer.go
index 32f51d3..684a357 100644
--- a/runtime/internal/rpc/stream/vc/writer.go
+++ b/runtime/internal/rpc/stream/vc/writer.go
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@
 
 func (w *writer) SetDeadline(deadline <-chan struct{}) {
 	w.mu.Lock()
-	defer w.mu.Unlock()
 	w.deadline = deadline
+	w.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
 // Release allows the next 'bytes' of data to be removed from the buffer queue