diff --git a/include/SDL_atomic.h b/include/SDL_atomic.h
index b6def304a2..bc2644f4d6 100644
--- a/include/SDL_atomic.h
+++ b/include/SDL_atomic.h
@@ -148,8 +148,9 @@ void _ReadWriteBarrier(void);
 extern __inline void SDL_CompilerBarrier(void);
 #pragma aux SDL_CompilerBarrier = "" parm [] modify exact [];
 #else
+/* We don't unlock here to avoid possible infinite recursion */
 #define SDL_CompilerBarrier()   \
-{ SDL_SpinLock _tmp = 0; SDL_AtomicLock(&_tmp); SDL_AtomicUnlock(&_tmp); }
+{ SDL_SpinLock _tmp = 0; SDL_AtomicLock(&_tmp); }
 #endif
 
 /**