diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_object.c b/sys/vm/vm_object.c
--- a/sys/vm/vm_object.c
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_object.c
@@ -1988,7 +1988,7 @@
 	    (options & (OBJPR_CLEANONLY | OBJPR_NOTMAPPED)) == OBJPR_NOTMAPPED,
 	    ("vm_object_page_remove: illegal options for object %p", object));
 	if (object->resident_page_count == 0)
-		return;
+		goto remove_pager;
 	vm_object_pip_add(object, 1);
 	vm_page_iter_limit_init(&pages, object, end);
 again:
@@ -2061,6 +2061,7 @@
 	}
 	vm_object_pip_wakeup(object);
 
+remove_pager:
 	vm_pager_freespace(object, start, (end == 0 ? object->size : end) -
 	    start);
 }