diff --git a/sys/fs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c b/sys/fs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c
index 45f950e17520..20c34594541e 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ nullfs_mount(mp, path, data, ndp, p)
 	 */
 	if (lowerrootvp == VTONULL(mp->mnt_vnodecovered)->null_lowervp) {
 		NULLFSDEBUG("nullfs_mount: multi null mount?\n");
+		VOP_UNLOCK(lowerrootvp, 0, p);
 		return (EDEADLK);
 	}
 
diff --git a/sys/miscfs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c b/sys/miscfs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c
index 45f950e17520..20c34594541e 100644
--- a/sys/miscfs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c
+++ b/sys/miscfs/nullfs/null_vfsops.c
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ nullfs_mount(mp, path, data, ndp, p)
 	 */
 	if (lowerrootvp == VTONULL(mp->mnt_vnodecovered)->null_lowervp) {
 		NULLFSDEBUG("nullfs_mount: multi null mount?\n");
+		VOP_UNLOCK(lowerrootvp, 0, p);
 		return (EDEADLK);
 	}