diff --git a/beacon-chain/sync/pending_blocks_queue.go b/beacon-chain/sync/pending_blocks_queue.go
index d61d16673..3d90882f0 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/sync/pending_blocks_queue.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/sync/pending_blocks_queue.go
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ func (s *Service) processPendingBlocks(ctx context.Context) error {
 				// Remove block from queue.
 				s.pendingQueueLock.Lock()
 				if err := s.deleteBlockFromPendingQueue(slot, b, blkRoot); err != nil {
+					s.pendingQueueLock.Unlock()
 					return err
 				}
 				s.pendingQueueLock.Unlock()
@@ -311,7 +312,7 @@ func (s *Service) deleteBlockFromPendingQueue(slot uint64, b *ethpb.SignedBeacon
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Decrease exp itme in proportion to how many blocks are still in the cache for slot key.
+	// Decrease exp time in proportion to how many blocks are still in the cache for slot key.
 	d := pendingBlockExpTime / time.Duration(len(newBlks))
 	if err := s.slotToPendingBlocks.Replace(slotToCacheKey(slot), newBlks, d); err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/beacon-chain/sync/validate_beacon_blocks.go b/beacon-chain/sync/validate_beacon_blocks.go
index a78d169fb..ecf06e592 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/sync/validate_beacon_blocks.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/sync/validate_beacon_blocks.go
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ func (s *Service) validateBeaconBlockPubSub(ctx context.Context, pid peer.ID, ms
 	if !s.db.HasBlock(ctx, bytesutil.ToBytes32(blk.Block.ParentRoot)) {
 		s.pendingQueueLock.Lock()
 		if err := s.insertBlockToPendingQueue(blk.Block.Slot, blk, blockRoot); err != nil {
+			s.pendingQueueLock.Unlock()
 			log.WithError(err).WithField("blockSlot", blk.Block.Slot).Debug("Ignored block")
 			return pubsub.ValidationIgnore
 		}