diff --git a/log/sync.go b/log/sync.go
index c07cdfa04..58bd3add1 100644
--- a/log/sync.go
+++ b/log/sync.go
@@ -65,9 +65,8 @@ type syncWriter struct {
 // progress, the calling goroutine blocks until the syncWriter is available.
 func (w *syncWriter) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	w.Lock()
-	n, err = w.Writer.Write(p)
-	w.Unlock()
-	return n, err
+	defer w.Unlock()
+	return w.Writer.Write(p)
 }
 
 // fdWriter is an io.Writer that also has an Fd method. The most common
@@ -87,9 +86,8 @@ type fdSyncWriter struct {
 // progress, the calling goroutine blocks until the fdSyncWriter is available.
 func (w *fdSyncWriter) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	w.Lock()
-	n, err = w.fdWriter.Write(p)
-	w.Unlock()
-	return n, err
+	defer w.Unlock()
+	return w.fdWriter.Write(p)
 }
 
 // syncLogger provides concurrent safe logging for another Logger.
@@ -110,7 +108,6 @@ func NewSyncLogger(logger Logger) Logger {
 // progress, the calling goroutine blocks until the syncLogger is available.
 func (l *syncLogger) Log(keyvals ...interface{}) error {
 	l.mu.Lock()
-	err := l.logger.Log(keyvals...)
-	l.mu.Unlock()
-	return err
+	defer l.mu.Unlock()
+	return l.logger.Log(keyvals...)
 }
diff --git a/log/sync_test.go b/log/sync_test.go
index 55e6b150d..253f256d1 100644
--- a/log/sync_test.go
+++ b/log/sync_test.go
@@ -81,3 +81,21 @@ func TestSyncWriterFd(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("NewSyncWriter does not pass through Fd method")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSyncLoggerPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	var logger log.Logger
+	logger = log.LoggerFunc(func(...interface{}) error { panic("!") })
+	logger = log.NewSyncLogger(logger)
+
+	f := func() {
+		defer func() {
+			if x := recover(); x != nil {
+				t.Log(x)
+			}
+		}()
+		logger.Log("hello", "world")
+	}
+
+	f()
+	f() // without defer Unlock, this one can deadlock
+}