diff --git a/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c b/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c
index aefdb434308d..573b1f4010bb 100644
--- a/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c
+++ b/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c
@@ -1932,15 +1932,15 @@ free_pv_entry(pmap_t pmap, pv_entry_t pv)
 	pc->pc_map[field] |= 1ul << bit;
 	/* move to head of list */
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
-	TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
 	if (pc->pc_map[0] != PC_FREE0 || pc->pc_map[1] != PC_FREE1 ||
-	    pc->pc_map[2] != PC_FREE2)
+	    pc->pc_map[2] != PC_FREE2) {
+		TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
 		return;
+	}
 	PV_STAT(pv_entry_spare -= _NPCPV);
 	PV_STAT(pc_chunk_count--);
 	PV_STAT(pc_chunk_frees++);
 	/* entire chunk is free, return it */
-	TAILQ_REMOVE(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
 	m = PHYS_TO_VM_PAGE(DMAP_TO_PHYS((vm_offset_t)pc));
 	dump_drop_page(m->phys_addr);
 	vm_page_unwire(m, 0);
diff --git a/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c b/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c
index 8acbcc63e7c0..15796b3c45f6 100644
--- a/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c
+++ b/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c
@@ -1975,15 +1975,15 @@ free_pv_entry(pmap_t pmap, pv_entry_t pv)
 	pc->pc_map[field] |= 1ul << bit;
 	/* move to head of list */
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
-	TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
 	for (idx = 0; idx < _NPCM; idx++)
-		if (pc->pc_map[idx] != pc_freemask[idx])
+		if (pc->pc_map[idx] != pc_freemask[idx]) {
+			TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
 			return;
+		}
 	PV_STAT(pv_entry_spare -= _NPCPV);
 	PV_STAT(pc_chunk_count--);
 	PV_STAT(pc_chunk_frees++);
 	/* entire chunk is free, return it */
-	TAILQ_REMOVE(&pmap->pm_pvchunk, pc, pc_list);
 	m = PHYS_TO_VM_PAGE(pmap_kextract((vm_offset_t)pc));
 	pmap_qremove((vm_offset_t)pc, 1);
 	vm_page_unwire(m, 0);