diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/dlmglue.c b/fs/ocfs2/dlmglue.c
index e2c34c704185..50a863fc1779 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/dlmglue.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/dlmglue.c
@@ -2871,9 +2871,15 @@ int ocfs2_nfs_sync_lock(struct ocfs2_super *osb, int ex)
 
 	status = ocfs2_cluster_lock(osb, lockres, ex ? LKM_EXMODE : LKM_PRMODE,
 				    0, 0);
-	if (status < 0)
+	if (status < 0) {
 		mlog(ML_ERROR, "lock on nfs sync lock failed %d\n", status);
 
+		if (ex)
+			up_write(&osb->nfs_sync_rwlock);
+		else
+			up_read(&osb->nfs_sync_rwlock);
+	}
+
 	return status;
 }