diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_contig.c b/sys/vm/vm_contig.c
index 4d896a349a00..025031ec3ccb 100644
--- a/sys/vm/vm_contig.c
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_contig.c
@@ -168,8 +168,10 @@ vm_contig_launder(int queue)
 		if ((m->flags & PG_MARKER) != 0)
 			continue;
 
-		if (!vm_pageout_page_lock(m, &next))
+		if (!vm_pageout_page_lock(m, &next)) {
+			vm_page_unlock(m);
 			continue;
+		}
 		KASSERT(VM_PAGE_INQUEUE2(m, queue),
 		    ("vm_contig_launder: page %p's queue is not %d", m, queue));
 		error = vm_contig_launder_page(m, &next);