diff --git a/sys/fs/tmpfs/tmpfs_subr.c b/sys/fs/tmpfs/tmpfs_subr.c
index d2b22454e793..0d7c878e439d 100644
--- a/sys/fs/tmpfs/tmpfs_subr.c
+++ b/sys/fs/tmpfs/tmpfs_subr.c
@@ -320,9 +320,11 @@ tmpfs_alloc_vp(struct mount *mp, struct tmpfs_node *node, int lkflag,
 		MPASS((node->tn_vpstate & TMPFS_VNODE_DOOMED) == 0);
 		VI_LOCK(vp);
 		TMPFS_NODE_UNLOCK(node);
-		vholdl(vp);
-		(void) vget(vp, lkflag | LK_INTERLOCK | LK_RETRY, curthread);
-		vdrop(vp);
+		error = vget(vp, lkflag | LK_INTERLOCK, curthread);
+		if (error != 0) {
+			vp = NULL;
+			goto out;
+		}
 
 		/*
 		 * Make sure the vnode is still there after
@@ -420,11 +422,13 @@ tmpfs_alloc_vp(struct mount *mp, struct tmpfs_node *node, int lkflag,
 out:
 	*vpp = vp;
 
-	MPASS(IFF(error == 0, *vpp != NULL && VOP_ISLOCKED(*vpp)));
 #ifdef INVARIANTS
-	TMPFS_NODE_LOCK(node);
-	MPASS(*vpp == node->tn_vnode);
-	TMPFS_NODE_UNLOCK(node);
+	if (error == 0) {
+		MPASS(*vpp != NULL && VOP_ISLOCKED(*vpp));
+		TMPFS_NODE_LOCK(node);
+		MPASS(*vpp == node->tn_vnode);
+		TMPFS_NODE_UNLOCK(node);
+	}
 #endif
 
 	return error;