diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c b/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
index ea322343d89a..2f0f3a637f7e 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
@@ -2231,7 +2231,7 @@ bufwrite(struct buf *bp)
 	}
 
 	if (bp->b_flags & B_BARRIER)
-		barrierwrites++;
+		atomic_add_long(&barrierwrites, 1);
 
 	oldflags = bp->b_flags;