diff --git a/src/filed/dir_cmd.c b/src/filed/dir_cmd.c
index 9dda0bd58fe..b48cf7536f4 100644
--- a/src/filed/dir_cmd.c
+++ b/src/filed/dir_cmd.c
@@ -2067,6 +2067,14 @@ static bool restore_cmd(JCR *jcr)
       if (!jcr->where_bregexp) {
          Jmsg(jcr, M_FATAL, 0, _("Bad where regexp. where=%s\n"), args);
          free_pool_memory(args);
+#if defined(WIN32_VSS)
+         if (jcr->VSS) {
+            /*
+             * clear mutex
+             */
+            V(vss_mutex);
+         }
+#endif
          return false;
       }
    } else {