diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
index 4103f388..f947331f 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
@@ -192,8 +192,6 @@ void sfz::Synth::buildRegion(const std::vector<Opcode>& regionOpcodes)
 
 void sfz::Synth::clear()
 {
-    const std::lock_guard<SpinMutex> disableCallback { callbackGuard };
-
     // Clear the background queues before removing everyone
     resources.filePool.waitForBackgroundLoading();
 
@@ -473,10 +471,10 @@ void sfz::Synth::handleEffectOpcodes(const std::vector<Opcode>& rawMembers)
 
 bool sfz::Synth::loadSfzFile(const fs::path& file)
 {
-    clear();
-
     const std::lock_guard<SpinMutex> disableCallback { callbackGuard };
 
+    clear();
+
     std::error_code ec;
     fs::path realFile = fs::canonical(file, ec);
 
@@ -494,9 +492,10 @@ bool sfz::Synth::loadSfzFile(const fs::path& file)
 
 bool sfz::Synth::loadSfzString(const fs::path& path, absl::string_view text)
 {
+    const std::lock_guard<SpinMutex> disableCallback { callbackGuard };
+
     clear();
 
-    const std::lock_guard<SpinMutex> disableCallback { callbackGuard };
     parser.parseString(path, text);
     if (parser.getErrorCount() > 0)
         return false;
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.h b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
index 350e98bf..d1db8a93 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.h
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
@@ -683,6 +683,7 @@ private:
      * @brief Remove all regions, resets all voices and clears everything
      * to bring back the synth in its original state.
      *
+     * The callback mutex should be taken to call this function.
      */
     void clear();