Index: sys/kern/vfs_cache.c
===================================================================
--- sys/kern/vfs_cache.c
+++ sys/kern/vfs_cache.c
@@ -2958,10 +2958,6 @@
 		cache_fpl_unhandled(fpl);
 		return (false);
 	}
-	if ((cnp->cn_flags & LOCKLEAF) == 0) {
-		cache_fpl_unhandled(fpl);
-		return (false);
-	}
 	if (cnp->cn_nameiop != LOOKUP) {
 		cache_fpl_unhandled(fpl);
 		return (false);
@@ -3033,7 +3029,6 @@
 	tvp_seqc = fpl->tvp_seqc;
 
 	VNPASS(cache_fplookup_vnode_supported(dvp), dvp);
-	MPASS((cnp->cn_flags & LOCKLEAF) != 0);
 
 	tvs = vget_prep_smr(tvp);
 	if (tvs == VGET_NONE) {
@@ -3048,13 +3043,19 @@
 
 	cache_fpl_smr_exit(fpl);
 
-	error = vget_finish(tvp, cnp->cn_lkflags, tvs);
+	if ((cnp->cn_flags & LOCKLEAF) != 0)
+		error = vget_finish(tvp, cnp->cn_lkflags, tvs);
+	else
+		error = vget_finish_ref(tvp, tvs);
 	if (error != 0) {
 		return (cache_fpl_unhandled(fpl));
 	}
 
 	if (!seqc_consistent(&tvp->v_seqc, tvp_seqc)) {
-		vput(tvp);
+		if ((cnp->cn_flags & LOCKLEAF) != 0)
+			vput(tvp);
+		else
+			vrele(tvp);
 		return (cache_fpl_unhandled(fpl));
 	}
 
Index: sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
===================================================================
--- sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
+++ sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
@@ -2954,7 +2954,7 @@
 int
 vget_finish(struct vnode *vp, int flags, enum vgetstate vs)
 {
-	int error, old;
+	int error;
 
 	if ((flags & LK_INTERLOCK) != 0)
 		ASSERT_VI_LOCKED(vp, __func__);
@@ -2971,6 +2971,17 @@
 		    vp);
 		return (error);
 	}
+	return (vget_finish_ref(vp, vs));
+}
+
+int
+vget_finish_ref(struct vnode *vp, enum vgetstate vs)
+{
+	int old;
+
+	VNPASS(vs == VGET_HOLDCNT || vs == VGET_USECOUNT, vp);
+	VNPASS(vp->v_holdcnt > 0, vp);
+	VNPASS(vs == VGET_HOLDCNT || vp->v_usecount > 0, vp);
 
 	if (vs == VGET_USECOUNT)
 		return (0);
Index: sys/sys/vnode.h
===================================================================
--- sys/sys/vnode.h
+++ sys/sys/vnode.h
@@ -689,6 +689,7 @@
 enum vgetstate	vget_prep_smr(struct vnode *vp);
 enum vgetstate	vget_prep(struct vnode *vp);
 int	vget_finish(struct vnode *vp, int flags, enum vgetstate vs);
+int	vget_finish_ref(struct vnode *vp, enum vgetstate vs);
 void	vget_abort(struct vnode *vp, enum vgetstate vs);
 void	vgone(struct vnode *vp);
 void	vhold(struct vnode *);