--- x/fs/overlayfs/file.c
+++ y/fs/overlayfs/file.c
@@ -516,11 +516,10 @@ static int ovl_remove_privs_unlocked(str
 	struct inode *inode = file_inode(file);
 	int err;
 
-	inode_lock(inode);
+	lockdep_assert_held_write(&inode->i_rwsem);
 	/* Update mode */
 	ovl_copyattr(inode);
 	err = file_remove_privs(file);
-	inode_unlock(inode);
 
 	return err;
 }