diff --git a/fs/jbd2/commit.c b/fs/jbd2/commit.c
index cfbce48adc0b..44b429126258 100644
--- a/fs/jbd2/commit.c
+++ b/fs/jbd2/commit.c
@@ -427,13 +427,13 @@ void jbd2_journal_commit_transaction(journal_t *journal)
 	J_ASSERT(journal->j_committing_transaction == NULL);
 
 	commit_transaction = journal->j_running_transaction;
-	J_ASSERT(commit_transaction->t_state == T_RUNNING);
 
 	trace_jbd2_start_commit(journal, commit_transaction);
 	jbd_debug(1, "JBD2: starting commit of transaction %d\n",
 			commit_transaction->t_tid);
 
 	write_lock(&journal->j_state_lock);
+	J_ASSERT(commit_transaction->t_state == T_RUNNING);
 	commit_transaction->t_state = T_LOCKED;
 
 	trace_jbd2_commit_locking(journal, commit_transaction);