diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
index bd0ae3ec76ff..783ea3bac7dc 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
@@ -2792,8 +2792,6 @@ int btrfs_search_slot(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans, struct btrfs_root
 			if (!should_cow_block(trans, root, b))
 				goto cow_done;
 
-			btrfs_set_path_blocking(p);
-
 			/*
 			 * must have write locks on this node and the
 			 * parent
@@ -2807,6 +2805,7 @@ int btrfs_search_slot(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans, struct btrfs_root
 				goto again;
 			}
 
+			btrfs_set_path_blocking(p);
 			err = btrfs_cow_block(trans, root, b,
 					      p->nodes[level + 1],
 					      p->slots[level + 1], &b);