diff --git a/plugins/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala b/plugins/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala
index 429c96f0..709b9e0c 100644
--- a/plugins/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala
+++ b/plugins/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala
@@ -6,74 +6,87 @@ namespace GPGHelper {
 private static bool initialized = false;
 
 public static string encrypt_armor(string plain, Key[] keys, EncryptFlags flags) throws GLib.Error {
-    initialize();
-
     global_mutex.lock();
-    Data plain_data = Data.create_from_memory(plain.data, false);
-    Context context = Context.create();
-    context.set_armor(true);
-    Data enc_data = context.op_encrypt(keys, flags, plain_data);
-    global_mutex.unlock();
-    return get_string_from_data(enc_data);
+    try {
+        initialize();
+        Data plain_data = Data.create_from_memory(plain.data, false);
+        Context context = Context.create();
+        context.set_armor(true);
+        Data enc_data = context.op_encrypt(keys, flags, plain_data);
+        return get_string_from_data(enc_data);
+    } finally {
+        global_mutex.unlock();
+    }
 }
 
 public static string decrypt(string encr) throws GLib.Error {
-    initialize();
-
     global_mutex.lock();
-    Data enc_data = Data.create_from_memory(encr.data, false);
-    Context context = Context.create();
-    Data dec_data = context.op_decrypt(enc_data);
-    global_mutex.unlock();
-    return get_string_from_data(dec_data);
+    try {
+        initialize();
+        Data enc_data = Data.create_from_memory(encr.data, false);
+        Context context = Context.create();
+        Data dec_data = context.op_decrypt(enc_data);
+        return get_string_from_data(dec_data);
+    } finally {
+        global_mutex.unlock();
+    }
 }
 
 public static string sign(string plain, SigMode mode, Key? key = null) throws GLib.Error {
-    initialize();
-
     global_mutex.lock();
-    Data plain_data = Data.create_from_memory(plain.data, false);
-    Context context = Context.create();
-    if (key != null) context.signers_add(key);
-    Data signed_data = context.op_sign(plain_data, mode);
-    global_mutex.unlock();
-    return get_string_from_data(signed_data);
+    try {
+        initialize();
+        Data plain_data = Data.create_from_memory(plain.data, false);
+        Context context = Context.create();
+        if (key != null) context.signers_add(key);
+        Data signed_data = context.op_sign(plain_data, mode);
+        return get_string_from_data(signed_data);
+    } finally {
+        global_mutex.unlock();
+    }
 }
 
 public static string? get_sign_key(string signature, string? text) throws GLib.Error {
-    initialize();
-
     global_mutex.lock();
-    Data sig_data = Data.create_from_memory(signature.data, false);
-    Data text_data;
-    if (text != null) {
-        text_data = Data.create_from_memory(text.data, false);
-    } else {
-        text_data = Data.create();
+    try {
+        initialize();
+        Data sig_data = Data.create_from_memory(signature.data, false);
+        Data text_data;
+        if (text != null) {
+            text_data = Data.create_from_memory(text.data, false);
+        } else {
+            text_data = Data.create();
+        }
+        Context context = Context.create();
+        context.op_verify(sig_data, text_data);
+        VerifyResult* verify_res = context.op_verify_result();
+        if (verify_res == null || verify_res.signatures == null) return null;
+        return verify_res.signatures.fpr;
+    } finally {
+        global_mutex.unlock();
     }
-    Context context = Context.create();
-    context.op_verify(sig_data, text_data);
-    VerifyResult* verify_res = context.op_verify_result();
-    if (verify_res == null || verify_res.signatures == null) return null;
-    global_mutex.unlock();
-    return verify_res.signatures.fpr;
 }
 
 public static Gee.List<Key> get_keylist(string? pattern = null, bool secret_only = false) throws GLib.Error {
-    initialize();
-
-    Gee.List<Key> keys = new ArrayList<Key>();
-    Context context = Context.create();
-    context.op_keylist_start(pattern, secret_only ? 1 : 0);
+    global_mutex.lock();
     try {
-        while (true) {
-            Key key = context.op_keylist_next();
-            keys.add(key);
+        initialize();
+
+        Gee.List<Key> keys = new ArrayList<Key>();
+        Context context = Context.create();
+        context.op_keylist_start(pattern, secret_only ? 1 : 0);
+        try {
+            while (true) {
+                Key key = context.op_keylist_next();
+                keys.add(key);
+            }
+        } catch (Error e) {
+            if (e.code != GPGError.ErrorCode.EOF) throw e;
         }
-    } catch (Error e) {
-        if (e.code != GPGError.ErrorCode.EOF) throw e;
+        return keys;
+    } finally {
+        global_mutex.unlock();
     }
-    return keys;
 }
 
 public static Key? get_public_key(string sig) throws GLib.Error {
@@ -85,18 +98,18 @@ public static Key? get_private_key(string sig) throws GLib.Error {
 }
 
 private static Key? get_key(string sig, bool priv) throws GLib.Error {
-    initialize();
-
     global_mutex.lock();
-    Context context = Context.create();
-    Key key = context.get_key(sig, priv);
-    global_mutex.unlock();
-    return key;
+    try {
+        initialize();
+        Context context = Context.create();
+        Key key = context.get_key(sig, priv);
+        return key;
+    } finally {
+        global_mutex.unlock();
+    }
 }
 
 private static string get_string_from_data(Data data) {
-    initialize();
-
     data.seek(0);
     uint8[] buf = new uint8[256];
     ssize_t? len = null;