diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_kern.c b/sys/vm/vm_kern.c
index 12608a661fc1..18c7d5093865 100644
--- a/sys/vm/vm_kern.c
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_kern.c
@@ -384,11 +384,13 @@ kmem_malloc(map, size, flags)
 			 */
 			while (i != 0) {
 				i -= PAGE_SIZE;
+				vm_object_lock(kmem_object);
 				m = vm_page_lookup(kmem_object,
 						   OFF_TO_IDX(offset + i));
 				vm_page_lock_queues();
 				vm_page_free(m);
 				vm_page_unlock_queues();
+				vm_object_unlock(kmem_object);
 			}
 			vm_map_delete(map, addr, addr + size);
 			vm_map_unlock(map);
@@ -420,7 +422,9 @@ kmem_malloc(map, size, flags)
 	 * splimp...)
 	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < size; i += PAGE_SIZE) {
+		vm_object_lock(kmem_object);
 		m = vm_page_lookup(kmem_object, OFF_TO_IDX(offset + i));
+		vm_object_unlock(kmem_object);
 		vm_page_lock_queues();
 		vm_page_wire(m);
 		vm_page_wakeup(m);