diff --git a/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c b/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c
index 83fa66ef22fd..61396a0da455 100644
--- a/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c
+++ b/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ ffs_truncate(vp, length, flags, cred, td)
 	 * soft updates below.
 	 */
 	needextclean = 0;
-	softdepslowdown = softdep_slowdown(ovp);
+	softdepslowdown = DOINGSOFTDEP(ovp) && softdep_slowdown(ovp);
 	extblocks = 0;
 	datablocks = DIP(oip, i_blocks);
 	if (fs->fs_magic == FS_UFS2_MAGIC && oip->i_din2->di_extsize > 0) {