diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
index a4cb4b642987..a8cc8311f238 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
@@ -1859,7 +1859,7 @@ static struct extent_buffer *btrfs_search_slot_get_root(struct btrfs_root *root,
 	}
 
 	p->nodes[level] = b;
-	if (!p->skip_locking)
+	if (!p->skip_locking || level > write_lock_level)
 		p->locks[level] = root_lock;
 	/*
 	 * Callers are responsible for dropping b's references.