diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_log_recover.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_log_recover.c
index 7c75c7374d5a..8ecad5bad66c 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_log_recover.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_log_recover.c
@@ -3161,37 +3161,26 @@ xlog_recover_process_iunlinks(
 			 */
 			continue;
 		}
+		/*
+		 * Unlock the buffer so that it can be acquired in the normal
+		 * course of the transaction to truncate and free each inode.
+		 * Because we are not racing with anyone else here for the AGI
+		 * buffer, we don't even need to hold it locked to read the
+		 * initial unlinked bucket entries out of the buffer. We keep
+		 * buffer reference though, so that it stays pinned in memory
+		 * while we need the buffer.
+		 */
 		agi = XFS_BUF_TO_AGI(agibp);
+		xfs_buf_unlock(agibp);
 
 		for (bucket = 0; bucket < XFS_AGI_UNLINKED_BUCKETS; bucket++) {
 			agino = be32_to_cpu(agi->agi_unlinked[bucket]);
 			while (agino != NULLAGINO) {
-				/*
-				 * Release the agi buffer so that it can
-				 * be acquired in the normal course of the
-				 * transaction to truncate and free the inode.
-				 */
-				xfs_buf_relse(agibp);
-
 				agino = xlog_recover_process_one_iunlink(mp,
 							agno, agino, bucket);
-
-				/*
-				 * Reacquire the agibuffer and continue around
-				 * the loop. This should never fail as we know
-				 * the buffer was good earlier on.
-				 */
-				error = xfs_read_agi(mp, NULL, agno, &agibp);
-				ASSERT(error == 0);
-				agi = XFS_BUF_TO_AGI(agibp);
 			}
 		}
-
-		/*
-		 * Release the buffer for the current agi so we can
-		 * go on to the next one.
-		 */
-		xfs_buf_relse(agibp);
+		xfs_buf_rele(agibp);
 	}
 
 	mp->m_dmevmask = mp_dmevmask;