diff --git a/lib/concurrent-ruby/concurrent/atomic/reentrant_read_write_lock.rb b/lib/concurrent-ruby/concurrent/atomic/reentrant_read_write_lock.rb
index e2718a484..fddcc7b77 100644
--- a/lib/concurrent-ruby/concurrent/atomic/reentrant_read_write_lock.rb
+++ b/lib/concurrent-ruby/concurrent/atomic/reentrant_read_write_lock.rb
@@ -241,7 +241,10 @@ def try_read_lock
     #
     # @return [Boolean] true if the lock is successfully released
     def release_read_lock
-      held = @HeldCount.value = @HeldCount.value - 1
+      held = @HeldCount.value
+      raise IllegalOperationError, "Cannot release a read lock which is not held" if held & READ_LOCK_MASK == 0
+
+      held = @HeldCount.value = held - 1
       rlocks_held = held & READ_LOCK_MASK
       if rlocks_held == 0
         c = @Counter.update { |counter| counter - 1 }
@@ -249,8 +252,6 @@ def release_read_lock
         if waiting_or_running_writer?(c) && running_readers(c) == 0
           @WriteQueue.signal
         end
-      elsif rlocks_held == READ_LOCK_MASK
-        raise IllegalOperationError, "Cannot release a read lock which is not held"
       end
       true
     end
@@ -334,14 +335,15 @@ def try_write_lock
     #
     # @return [Boolean] true if the lock is successfully released
     def release_write_lock
-      held = @HeldCount.value = @HeldCount.value - WRITE_LOCK_HELD
+      held = @HeldCount.value
+      raise IllegalOperationError, "Cannot release a write lock which is not held" if held & WRITE_LOCK_MASK == 0
+
+      held = @HeldCount.value = held - WRITE_LOCK_HELD
       wlocks_held = held & WRITE_LOCK_MASK
       if wlocks_held == 0
         c = @Counter.update { |counter| counter - RUNNING_WRITER }
         @ReadQueue.broadcast
         @WriteQueue.signal if waiting_writers(c) > 0
-      elsif wlocks_held == WRITE_LOCK_MASK
-        raise IllegalOperationError, "Cannot release a write lock which is not held"
       end
       true
     end
diff --git a/spec/concurrent/atomic/read_write_lock_spec.rb b/spec/concurrent/atomic/read_write_lock_spec.rb
index 52e4d7273..327cd2a08 100644
--- a/spec/concurrent/atomic/read_write_lock_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/concurrent/atomic/read_write_lock_spec.rb
@@ -338,6 +338,13 @@ module Concurrent
       it 'raises an exception if the lock was never set' do
         expect { subject.release_read_lock }.to raise_error(IllegalOperationError)
       end
+
+      it 'does not corrupt the lock state after an invalid release' do
+        expect { subject.release_read_lock }.to raise_error(IllegalOperationError)
+
+        expect(subject.acquire_read_lock).to be true
+        expect(subject.release_read_lock).to be true
+      end
     end
 
     context '#acquire_write_lock' do
@@ -494,6 +501,13 @@ module Concurrent
         expect { subject.release_write_lock }.to raise_error(IllegalOperationError)
       end
 
+      it 'does not corrupt the lock state after an invalid release' do
+        expect { subject.release_write_lock }.to raise_error(IllegalOperationError)
+
+        expect(subject.acquire_write_lock).to be true
+        expect(subject.release_write_lock).to be true
+      end
+
       it 'raises an exception if called by a thread that did not acquire the write lock' do
         subject.acquire_write_lock
         Thread.new {