diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_mount.c b/sys/kern/vfs_mount.c
index e489d8097783..9253affcaa44 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_mount.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_mount.c
@@ -1357,6 +1357,9 @@ root_mount_hold(const char *identifier)
 {
 	struct root_hold_token *h;
 
+	if (root_mounted())
+		return (NULL);
+
 	h = malloc(sizeof *h, M_DEVBUF, M_ZERO | M_WAITOK);
 	h->who = identifier;
 	mtx_lock(&mountlist_mtx);
@@ -1372,6 +1375,8 @@ void
 root_mount_rel(struct root_hold_token *h)
 {
 
+	if (h == NULL)
+		return;
 	mtx_lock(&mountlist_mtx);
 	LIST_REMOVE(h, list);
 	wakeup(&root_holds);