diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_exec.c b/sys/kern/kern_exec.c
index 24f9e07ddfe1..ed8f55c4afa9 100644
--- a/sys/kern/kern_exec.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_exec.c
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ interpret:
 			euip = uifind(attr.va_uid);
 			change_euid(imgp->newcred, euip);
 		}
-		vn_lock(imgp->vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
+		vn_lock(imgp->vp, LK_SHARED | LK_RETRY);
 		if (attr.va_mode & S_ISGID)
 			change_egid(imgp->newcred, attr.va_gid);
 		/*
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ interpret:
 		    oldcred->cr_svgid != oldcred->cr_gid) {
 			VOP_UNLOCK(imgp->vp, 0);
 			imgp->newcred = crdup(oldcred);
-			vn_lock(imgp->vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
+			vn_lock(imgp->vp, LK_SHARED | LK_RETRY);
 			change_svuid(imgp->newcred, imgp->newcred->cr_uid);
 			change_svgid(imgp->newcred, imgp->newcred->cr_gid);
 		}
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ interpret:
 		if (vn_fullpath(td, imgp->vp, &imgp->execpath,
 		    &imgp->freepath) != 0)
 			imgp->execpath = args->fname;
-		vn_lock(imgp->vp, LK_EXCLUSIVE | LK_RETRY);
+		vn_lock(imgp->vp, LK_SHARED | LK_RETRY);
 	}
 
 	/*