diff --git a/sys/netsmb/smb_conn.c b/sys/netsmb/smb_conn.c
index 82f6382da1f8..3480181502d3 100644
--- a/sys/netsmb/smb_conn.c
+++ b/sys/netsmb/smb_conn.c
@@ -218,8 +218,10 @@ smb_sm_lookup(struct smb_vcspec *vcspec, struct smb_sharespec *shspec,
 	smb_sm_unlockvclist(td);
 	if (error == 0)
 		*vcpp = vcp;
-	else if (vcp)
+	else if (vcp) {
+		smb_vc_lock(vcp, LK_EXCLUSIVE, scred->scr_td);
 		smb_vc_put(vcp, scred);
+	}
 	return error;
 }