diff --git a/cni-plugin/pkg/ipamplugin/ipam_plugin.go b/cni-plugin/pkg/ipamplugin/ipam_plugin.go
index 67b5554da17..814d07680a2 100644
--- a/cni-plugin/pkg/ipamplugin/ipam_plugin.go
+++ b/cni-plugin/pkg/ipamplugin/ipam_plugin.go
@@ -434,9 +434,6 @@ func cmdDel(args *skel.CmdArgs) error {
 	})
 
 	logger.Info("Releasing address using handleID")
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 90*time.Second)
-	defer cancel()
 
 	// Acquire a best-effort host-wide lock to prevent multiple copies of the CNI plugin trying to assign/delete
 	// concurrently. ReleaseXXX is concurrency safe already but serialising the CNI plugins means that
@@ -445,6 +442,10 @@ func cmdDel(args *skel.CmdArgs) error {
 	unlock := acquireIPAMLockBestEffort(conf.IPAMLockFile)
 	defer unlock()
 
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 90*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
 	if err := calicoClient.IPAM().ReleaseByHandle(ctx, handleID); err != nil {
 		if _, ok := err.(errors.ErrorResourceDoesNotExist); !ok {
 			logger.WithError(err).Error("Failed to release address")