diff --git a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
index 8168fb351adb..2ec59c4c51b7 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
@@ -696,6 +696,7 @@ struct backref_node *build_backref_tree(struct reloc_control *rc,
 	int cowonly;
 	int ret;
 	int err = 0;
+	bool need_check = true;
 
 	path1 = btrfs_alloc_path();
 	path2 = btrfs_alloc_path();
@@ -919,6 +920,7 @@ again:
 			cur->bytenr);
 
 		lower = cur;
+		need_check = true;
 		for (; level < BTRFS_MAX_LEVEL; level++) {
 			if (!path2->nodes[level]) {
 				BUG_ON(btrfs_root_bytenr(&root->root_item) !=
@@ -962,14 +964,12 @@ again:
 
 				/*
 				 * add the block to pending list if we
-				 * need check its backrefs. only block
-				 * at 'cur->level + 1' is added to the
-				 * tail of pending list. this guarantees
-				 * we check backrefs from lower level
-				 * blocks to upper level blocks.
+				 * need check its backrefs, we only do this once
+				 * while walking up a tree as we will catch
+				 * anything else later on.
 				 */
-				if (!upper->checked &&
-				    level == cur->level + 1) {
+				if (!upper->checked && need_check) {
+					need_check = false;
 					list_add_tail(&edge->list[UPPER],
 						      &list);
 				} else