diff --git a/sys/nfsclient/nfs_node.c b/sys/nfsclient/nfs_node.c
index 21769e227a19..ed19723abdd4 100644
--- a/sys/nfsclient/nfs_node.c
+++ b/sys/nfsclient/nfs_node.c
@@ -194,7 +194,10 @@ nfs_nget(struct mount *mntp, nfsfh_t *fhp, int fhsize, struct nfsnode **npp)
 		    bcmp((caddr_t)fhp, (caddr_t)np->n_fhp, fhsize))
 			continue;
 		vp = NFSTOV(np);
-		if (vget(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE, td))
+		/*
+		 * np or vp may become invalid if vget() blocks, so loop 
+		 */
+		if (vget(vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE|LK_SLEEPFAIL, td))
 			goto loop;
 		*npp = np;
 		return(0);