diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c b/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
@@ -6224,6 +6224,7 @@
 	a = ap;
 	dvp = a->a_dvp;
 	vp = a->a_vp;
+	vfs_notify_upper(vp, VFS_NOTIFY_UPPER_UNLINK);
 	vn_seqc_write_begin(dvp);
 	vn_seqc_write_begin(vp);
 }
@@ -6292,6 +6293,7 @@
 	a = ap;
 	dvp = a->a_dvp;
 	vp = a->a_vp;
+	vfs_notify_upper(vp, VFS_NOTIFY_UPPER_UNLINK);
 	vn_seqc_write_begin(dvp);
 	vn_seqc_write_begin(vp);
 }
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
@@ -2034,7 +2034,6 @@
 		if (error != 0)
 			goto out;
 #endif
-		vfs_notify_upper(vp, VFS_NOTIFY_UPPER_UNLINK);
 		error = VOP_REMOVE(nd.ni_dvp, vp, &nd.ni_cnd);
 #ifdef MAC
 out:
@@ -4002,7 +4001,6 @@
 			goto fdout;
 		goto restart;
 	}
-	vfs_notify_upper(vp, VFS_NOTIFY_UPPER_UNLINK);
 	error = VOP_RMDIR(nd.ni_dvp, nd.ni_vp, &nd.ni_cnd);
 	vn_finished_write(mp);
 out: