diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_pageout.c b/sys/vm/vm_pageout.c
--- a/sys/vm/vm_pageout.c
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_pageout.c
@@ -1451,7 +1451,21 @@
 	pq = &vmd->vmd_pagequeues[PQ_INACTIVE];
 	vm_pagequeue_lock(pq);
 	vm_pageout_init_scan(&ss, pq, marker, NULL, pq->pq_cnt);
-	while (page_shortage > 0 && (m = vm_pageout_next(&ss, true)) != NULL) {
+	while (page_shortage > 0) {
+		/*
+		 * If we need to refill the scan batch queue, release any
+		 * optimistically held object lock.  This gives someone else a
+		 * chance to grab the lock, and also avoids holding it while we
+		 * do unrelated work.
+		 */
+		if (object != NULL && vm_batchqueue_empty(&ss.bq)) {
+			VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
+			object = NULL;
+		}
+
+		m = vm_pageout_next(&ss, true);
+		if (m == NULL)
+			break;
 		KASSERT((m->flags & PG_MARKER) == 0,
 		    ("marker page %p was dequeued", m));
 
diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_pagequeue.h b/sys/vm/vm_pagequeue.h
--- a/sys/vm/vm_pagequeue.h
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_pagequeue.h
@@ -354,6 +354,12 @@
 	bq->bq_cnt = 0;
 }
 
+static inline bool
+vm_batchqueue_empty(const struct vm_batchqueue *bq)
+{
+	return (bq->bq_cnt == 0);
+}
+
 static inline int
 vm_batchqueue_insert(struct vm_batchqueue *bq, vm_page_t m)
 {