diff --git a/sys/contrib/openzfs/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c b/sys/contrib/openzfs/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
index fd86a75416e6..a6930cec517b 100644
--- a/sys/contrib/openzfs/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
+++ b/sys/contrib/openzfs/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ zfs_vop_fsync(vnode_t *vp)
 	struct mount *mp;
 	int error;
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0)
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 		goto drop;
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
 	error = VOP_FSYNC(vp, MNT_WAIT, curthread);
diff --git a/sys/fs/fdescfs/fdesc_vnops.c b/sys/fs/fdescfs/fdesc_vnops.c
index ae6d60d0fc55..7046bb6bf244 100644
--- a/sys/fs/fdescfs/fdesc_vnops.c
+++ b/sys/fs/fdescfs/fdesc_vnops.c
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ fdesc_setattr(struct vop_setattr_args *ap)
 		return (error);
 	}
 	vp = fp->f_vnode;
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) == 0) {
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) == 0) {
 		vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
 		error = VOP_SETATTR(vp, ap->a_vap, ap->a_cred);
 		VOP_UNLOCK(vp);
diff --git a/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c b/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c
index d5d7f9fbd363..84da1d9561cd 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c
@@ -8426,10 +8426,10 @@ nfsrv_copymr(vnode_t vp, vnode_t fvp, vnode_t dvp, struct nfsdevice *ds,
 	 * NFS mount and they are not suspendable at this time.
 	 */
 	if (ret == 0)
-		ret = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+		ret = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	if (ret == 0) {
 		tvmp = dvp->v_mount;
-		ret = vn_start_write(NULL, &tvmp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+		ret = vn_start_write(NULL, &tvmp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c b/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c
index ac00cc1bc093..0b9e8fde4b6a 100644
--- a/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c
+++ b/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ unionfs_mkshadowdir(struct unionfs_mount *ump, struct vnode *udvp,
 		goto unionfs_mkshadowdir_abort;
 	}
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(udvp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)))
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(udvp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)))
 		goto unionfs_mkshadowdir_abort;
 	unionfs_create_uppervattr_core(ump, &lva, &va, td);
 
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ unionfs_mkwhiteout(struct vnode *dvp, struct componentname *cnp,
 		return (EEXIST);
 	}
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(dvp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)))
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(dvp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)))
 		goto unionfs_mkwhiteout_free_out;
 	error = VOP_WHITEOUT(dvp, &nd.ni_cnd, CREATE);
 
@@ -1160,7 +1160,7 @@ unionfs_copyfile(struct unionfs_node *unp, int docopy, struct ucred *cred,
 	if (error != 0)
 		return (error);
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(udvp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0)
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(udvp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 		return (error);
 	error = unionfs_vn_create_on_upper(&uvp, udvp, unp, &uva, td);
 	if (error != 0) {
diff --git a/sys/kern/uipc_usrreq.c b/sys/kern/uipc_usrreq.c
index 1a4d2d5adc0a..00d7aa1fc968 100644
--- a/sys/kern/uipc_usrreq.c
+++ b/sys/kern/uipc_usrreq.c
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ uipc_bindat(int fd, struct socket *so, struct sockaddr *nam, struct thread *td)
 			error = EADDRINUSE;
 			goto error;
 		}
-		error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH);
+		error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH);
 		if (error)
 			goto error;
 		goto restart;
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_acl.c b/sys/kern/vfs_acl.c
index 2e3abe007c2a..dffce9d29291 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_acl.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_acl.c
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ vacl_set_acl(struct thread *td, struct vnode *vp, acl_type_t type,
 	error = acl_copyin(aclp, inkernelacl, type);
 	if (error != 0)
 		goto out;
-	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	if (error != 0)
 		goto out;
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ vacl_delete(struct thread *td, struct vnode *vp, acl_type_t type)
 	int error;
 
 	AUDIT_ARG_VALUE(type);
-	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	if (error != 0)
 		return (error);
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c b/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c
index c9489ee5b4ad..43e54e1ad9bf 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ aio_fsync_vnode(struct thread *td, struct vnode *vp, int op)
 	int error;
 
 	for (;;) {
-		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 		if (error != 0)
 			break;
 		vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_extattr.c b/sys/kern/vfs_extattr.c
index 4c1851a52e88..d389b33d0634 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_extattr.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_extattr.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ sys_extattrctl(struct thread *td, struct extattrctl_args *uap)
 		goto out;
 	}
 	VOP_UNLOCK(nd.ni_vp);
-	error = vn_start_write(nd.ni_vp, &mp_writable, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+	error = vn_start_write(nd.ni_vp, &mp_writable, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	NDFREE(&nd, NDF_NO_VP_UNLOCK);
 	if (error)
 		goto out;
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ extattr_set_vp(struct vnode *vp, int attrnamespace, const char *attrname,
 	if (nbytes > IOSIZE_MAX)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
-	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	if (error)
 		return (error);
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ extattr_delete_vp(struct vnode *vp, int attrnamespace, const char *attrname,
 	struct mount *mp;
 	int error;
 
-	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	if (error)
 		return (error);
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
index 103f4dab519f..b3223e620962 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
@@ -1389,7 +1389,7 @@ kern_mknodat(struct thread *td, int fd, const char *path, enum uio_seg pathseg,
 	if (vn_start_write(nd.ni_dvp, &mp, V_NOWAIT) != 0) {
 		NDFREE_PNBUF(&nd);
 		vput(nd.ni_dvp);
-		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0)
+		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 			return (error);
 		goto restart;
 	}
@@ -1476,7 +1476,7 @@ kern_mkfifoat(struct thread *td, int fd, const char *path,
 	if (vn_start_write(nd.ni_dvp, &mp, V_NOWAIT) != 0) {
 		NDFREE_PNBUF(&nd);
 		vput(nd.ni_dvp);
-		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0)
+		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 			return (error);
 		goto restart;
 	}
@@ -1660,7 +1660,7 @@ kern_linkat_vp(struct thread *td, struct vnode *vp, int fd, const char *path,
 				vput(nd.ni_dvp);
 				NDFREE_PNBUF(&nd);
 				error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp,
-				    V_XSLEEP | PCATCH);
+				    V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH);
 				if (error != 0)
 					return (error);
 				return (EAGAIN);
@@ -1755,7 +1755,7 @@ kern_symlinkat(struct thread *td, const char *path1, int fd, const char *path2,
 	if (vn_start_write(nd.ni_dvp, &mp, V_NOWAIT) != 0) {
 		NDFREE_PNBUF(&nd);
 		vput(nd.ni_dvp);
-		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0)
+		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 			goto out;
 		goto restart;
 	}
@@ -1820,7 +1820,7 @@ sys_undelete(struct thread *td, struct undelete_args *uap)
 	if (vn_start_write(nd.ni_dvp, &mp, V_NOWAIT) != 0) {
 		NDFREE_PNBUF(&nd);
 		vput(nd.ni_dvp);
-		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0)
+		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 			return (error);
 		goto restart;
 	}
@@ -1953,7 +1953,7 @@ kern_funlinkat(struct thread *td, int dfd, const char *path, int fd,
 			else
 				vput(vp);
 			if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp,
-			    V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0) {
+			    V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0) {
 				goto fdout;
 			}
 			goto restart;
@@ -2729,7 +2729,7 @@ setfflags(struct thread *td, struct vnode *vp, u_long flags)
 			return (error);
 	}
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0)
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 		return (error);
 	VATTR_NULL(&vattr);
 	vattr.va_flags = flags;
@@ -2860,7 +2860,7 @@ setfmode(struct thread *td, struct ucred *cred, struct vnode *vp, int mode)
 	struct vattr vattr;
 	int error;
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0)
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 		return (error);
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
 	VATTR_NULL(&vattr);
@@ -2985,7 +2985,7 @@ setfown(struct thread *td, struct ucred *cred, struct vnode *vp, uid_t uid,
 	struct vattr vattr;
 	int error;
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0)
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 		return (error);
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
 	VATTR_NULL(&vattr);
@@ -3199,7 +3199,7 @@ setutimes(struct thread *td, struct vnode *vp, const struct timespec *ts,
 	vattr.va_birthtime.tv_sec = VNOVAL;
 	vattr.va_birthtime.tv_nsec = 0;
 
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0)
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 		return (error);
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
 	if (numtimes < 3 && VOP_GETATTR(vp, &vattr, td->td_ucred) == 0 &&
@@ -3471,7 +3471,7 @@ kern_truncate(struct thread *td, const char *path, enum uio_seg pathseg,
 	vp = nd.ni_vp;
 	NDFREE_PNBUF(&nd);
 	rl_cookie = vn_rangelock_wlock(vp, 0, OFF_MAX);
-	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0) {
+	if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0) {
 		vn_rangelock_unlock(vp, rl_cookie);
 		vrele(vp);
 		return (error);
@@ -3554,7 +3554,7 @@ kern_fsync(struct thread *td, int fd, bool fullsync)
 		/* XXXKIB: compete outstanding aio writes */;
 #endif
 retry:
-	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	if (error != 0)
 		goto drop;
 	vn_lock(vp, vn_lktype_write(mp, vp) | LK_RETRY);
@@ -3716,7 +3716,7 @@ kern_renameat(struct thread *td, int oldfd, const char *old, int newfd,
 		vrele(tond.ni_startdir);
 		if (fromnd.ni_startdir != NULL)
 			vrele(fromnd.ni_startdir);
-		error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH);
+		error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH);
 		if (error != 0)
 			return (error);
 		goto again;
@@ -3839,7 +3839,7 @@ kern_mkdirat(struct thread *td, int fd, const char *path, enum uio_seg segflg,
 	if (vn_start_write(nd.ni_dvp, &mp, V_NOWAIT) != 0) {
 		NDFREE_PNBUF(&nd);
 		vput(nd.ni_dvp);
-		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0)
+		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 			return (error);
 		goto restart;
 	}
@@ -3948,7 +3948,7 @@ kern_frmdirat(struct thread *td, int dfd, const char *path, int fd,
 			vrele(nd.ni_dvp);
 		else
 			vput(nd.ni_dvp);
-		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0)
+		if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp, V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 			goto fdout;
 		goto restart;
 	}
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_vnops.c b/sys/kern/vfs_vnops.c
index a7ca547f571f..04e8cb0037a2 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_vnops.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_vnops.c
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ vn_open_cred(struct nameidata *ndp, int *flagp, int cmode, u_int vn_open_flags,
 				NDFREE_PNBUF(ndp);
 				vput(ndp->ni_dvp);
 				if ((error = vn_start_write(NULL, &mp,
-				    V_XSLEEP | PCATCH)) != 0)
+				    V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 					return (error);
 				NDREINIT(ndp);
 				goto restart;
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ vn_rdwr(enum uio_rw rw, struct vnode *vp, void *base, int len, off_t offset,
 		mp = NULL;
 		if (rw == UIO_WRITE) { 
 			if (vp->v_type != VCHR &&
-			    (error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH))
+			    (error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH))
 			    != 0)
 				goto out;
 			lock_flags = vn_lktype_write(mp, vp);
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ vn_write(struct file *fp, struct uio *uio, struct ucred *active_cred, int flags,
 	mp = NULL;
 	need_finished_write = false;
 	if (vp->v_type != VCHR) {
-		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 		if (error != 0)
 			goto unlock;
 		need_finished_write = true;
@@ -1619,7 +1619,7 @@ vn_truncate(struct file *fp, off_t length, struct ucred *active_cred,
 	 * might happen partly before and partly after the truncation.
 	 */
 	rl_cookie = vn_rangelock_wlock(vp, 0, OFF_MAX);
-	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+	error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 	if (error)
 		goto out1;
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
@@ -1877,7 +1877,7 @@ vn_start_write_refed(struct mount *mp, int flags, bool mplocked)
 	    mp->mnt_susp_owner != curthread) {
 		mflags = 0;
 		if ((mp->mnt_vfc->vfc_flags & VFCF_SBDRY) != 0) {
-			if (flags & PCATCH)
+			if (flags & V_PCATCH)
 				mflags |= PCATCH;
 		}
 		mflags |= (PUSER - 1);
@@ -1908,6 +1908,9 @@ vn_start_write(struct vnode *vp, struct mount **mpp, int flags)
 	struct mount *mp;
 	int error;
 
+	KASSERT((flags & ~V_VALID_FLAGS) == 0,
+	    ("%s: invalid flags passed %d\n", __func__, flags));
+
 	error = 0;
 	/*
 	 * If a vnode is provided, get and return the mount point that
@@ -1950,6 +1953,9 @@ vn_start_secondary_write(struct vnode *vp, struct mount **mpp, int flags)
 	struct mount *mp;
 	int error, mflags;
 
+	KASSERT((flags & ~V_VALID_FLAGS) == 0,
+	    ("%s: invalid flags passed %d\n", __func__, flags));
+
  retry:
 	if (vp != NULL) {
 		if ((error = VOP_GETWRITEMOUNT(vp, mpp)) != 0) {
@@ -1992,7 +1998,7 @@ vn_start_secondary_write(struct vnode *vp, struct mount **mpp, int flags)
 	 */
 	mflags = 0;
 	if ((mp->mnt_vfc->vfc_flags & VFCF_SBDRY) != 0) {
-		if (flags & PCATCH)
+		if (flags & V_PCATCH)
 			mflags |= PCATCH;
 	}
 	mflags |= (PUSER - 1) | PDROP;
@@ -3473,7 +3479,7 @@ vn_fallocate(struct file *fp, off_t offset, off_t len, struct thread *td)
 
 		bwillwrite();
 		mp = NULL;
-		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 		if (error != 0)
 			break;
 		error = vn_lock(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE);
@@ -3541,7 +3547,7 @@ vn_deallocate_impl(struct vnode *vp, off_t *offset, off_t *length, int flags,
 		if ((ioflag & IO_NODELOCKED) == 0) {
 			bwillwrite();
 			if ((error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp,
-			    V_WAIT | PCATCH)) != 0)
+			    V_WAIT | V_PCATCH)) != 0)
 				goto out;
 			vn_lock(vp, vn_lktype_write(mp, vp) | LK_RETRY);
 		}
diff --git a/sys/security/mac/mac_syscalls.c b/sys/security/mac/mac_syscalls.c
index d8979a70b72d..9bc334686aa4 100644
--- a/sys/security/mac/mac_syscalls.c
+++ b/sys/security/mac/mac_syscalls.c
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ sys___mac_set_fd(struct thread *td, struct __mac_set_fd_args *uap)
 			break;
 		}
 		vp = fp->f_vnode;
-		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+		error = vn_start_write(vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 		if (error != 0) {
 			mac_vnode_label_free(intlabel);
 			break;
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ kern___mac_set_path(struct thread *td, const char *path_p, struct mac *mac_p,
 	NDINIT(&nd, LOOKUP, LOCKLEAF | follow, UIO_USERSPACE, path_p);
 	error = namei(&nd);
 	if (error == 0) {
-		error = vn_start_write(nd.ni_vp, &mp, V_WAIT | PCATCH);
+		error = vn_start_write(nd.ni_vp, &mp, V_WAIT | V_PCATCH);
 		if (error == 0) {
 			error = vn_setlabel(nd.ni_vp, intlabel,
 			    td->td_ucred);
diff --git a/sys/sys/vnode.h b/sys/sys/vnode.h
index 30b74fef0902..4ae3dd22a390 100644
--- a/sys/sys/vnode.h
+++ b/sys/sys/vnode.h
@@ -431,6 +431,8 @@ extern int		vttoif_tab[];
 #define	V_WAIT		0x0001	/* vn_start_write: sleep for suspend */
 #define	V_NOWAIT	0x0002	/* vn_start_write: don't sleep for suspend */
 #define	V_XSLEEP	0x0004	/* vn_start_write: just return after sleep */
+#define	V_PCATCH	0x0008	/* vn_start_write: make the sleep interruptible */
+#define V_VALID_FLAGS (V_WAIT | V_NOWAIT | V_XSLEEP | V_PCATCH)
 
 #define	VR_START_WRITE	0x0001	/* vfs_write_resume: start write atomically */
 #define	VR_NO_SUSPCLR	0x0002	/* vfs_write_resume: do not clear suspension */