diff --git a/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c b/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c
--- a/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c
+++ b/sys/fs/unionfs/union_subr.c
@@ -587,6 +587,7 @@
 	struct unionfs_node_status *unsp;
 	pid_t pid;
 
+	MPASS(td != NULL);
 	pid = td->td_proc->p_pid;
 
 	ASSERT_VOP_ELOCKED(UNIONFSTOV(unp), __func__);
@@ -612,6 +613,7 @@
 	struct unionfs_node_status *unsp;
 	pid_t pid;
 
+	MPASS(td != NULL);
 	pid = td->td_proc->p_pid;
 
 	KASSERT(NULL != unspp, ("%s: NULL status", __func__));
diff --git a/sys/fs/unionfs/union_vnops.c b/sys/fs/unionfs/union_vnops.c
--- a/sys/fs/unionfs/union_vnops.c
+++ b/sys/fs/unionfs/union_vnops.c
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@
 	unp = VTOUNIONFS(vp);
 	lvp = unp->un_lowervp;
 	uvp = unp->un_uppervp;
-	unsp = unionfs_find_node_status(unp, td);
+	unsp = (td != NULL) ? unionfs_find_node_status(unp, td) : NULL;
 
 	if (unsp == NULL ||
 	    (unsp->uns_lower_opencnt <= 0 && unsp->uns_upper_opencnt <= 0)) {