diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_witness.c b/sys/kern/subr_witness.c
--- a/sys/kern/subr_witness.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_witness.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/bus.h>
 #include <sys/kdb.h>
+#include <sys/kassert.h>
 #include <sys/kernel.h>
 #include <sys/ktr.h>
 #include <sys/lock.h>
@@ -1136,8 +1137,11 @@
 		 * Since spin locks include a critical section, this check
 		 * implicitly enforces a lock order of all sleep locks before
 		 * all spin locks.
+		 *
+		 * SCHEDULER_STOPPED() indicates that kdb is active, or it was
+		 * and we are rebooting.
 		 */
-		if (td->td_critnest != 0 && !kdb_active)
+		if (td->td_critnest != 0 && !SCHEDULER_STOPPED())
 			kassert_panic("acquiring blockable sleep lock with "
 			    "spinlock or critical section held (%s) %s @ %s:%d",
 			    class->lc_name, lock->lo_name,