diff --git a/io_uring/tw.c b/io_uring/tw.c
index fdff81eebc95..023d5e6bc491 100644
--- a/io_uring/tw.c
+++ b/io_uring/tw.c
@@ -273,8 +273,18 @@ void io_req_task_work_add_remote(struct io_kiocb *req, unsigned flags)
 
 void __cold io_move_task_work_from_local(struct io_ring_ctx *ctx)
 {
-	struct llist_node *node = llist_del_all(&ctx->work_llist);
+	struct llist_node *node;
 
+	/*
+	 * Running the work items may utilize ->retry_llist as a means
+	 * for capping the number of task_work entries run at the same
+	 * time. But that list can potentially race with moving the work
+	 * from here, if the task is exiting. As any normal task_work
+	 * running holds ->uring_lock already, just guard this slow path
+	 * with ->uring_lock to avoid racing on ->retry_llist.
+	 */
+	guard(mutex)(&ctx->uring_lock);
+	node = llist_del_all(&ctx->work_llist);
 	__io_fallback_tw(node, false);
 	node = llist_del_all(&ctx->retry_llist);
 	__io_fallback_tw(node, false);