diff --git a/fs/inode.c b/fs/inode.c
index dae43a8de7e0..5d1566ffbbfc 100644
--- a/fs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/inode.c
@@ -1851,7 +1851,9 @@ int insert_inode_locked(struct inode *inode)
 			return 0;
 		}
 		if (inode_state_read(old) & (I_FREEING | I_WILL_FREE)) {
+			rcu_read_lock();
 			__wait_on_freeing_inode(old, true, false);
+			rcu_read_unlock();
 			old = NULL;
 			goto repeat;
 		}