diff --git a/sys/fs/coda/coda_vnops.c b/sys/fs/coda/coda_vnops.c
index 2a9f65191561..a349bd83488b 100644
--- a/sys/fs/coda/coda_vnops.c
+++ b/sys/fs/coda/coda_vnops.c
@@ -221,9 +221,6 @@ coda_open(struct vop_open_args *ap)
 
     CODADEBUG( CODA_OPEN,myprintf(("open: vp %p result %d\n", vp, error));)
 
-    /* Keep a reference until the close comes in. */
-    vref(*vpp);                
-
     /* Save the vnode pointer for the cache file. */
     if (cp->c_ovp == NULL) {
 	cp->c_ovp = vp;
@@ -293,8 +290,6 @@ coda_close(struct vop_close_args *ap)
          error = venus_close(vtomi(vp), &cp->c_fid, flag, cred, td->td_proc);
     else error = ENODEV;
 
-    vrele(vp);
-
     CODADEBUG(CODA_CLOSE, myprintf(("close: result %d\n",error)); )
     return(error);
 }