diff --git a/fs/netfs/locking.c b/fs/netfs/locking.c
index 75dc52a49b3a..709a6aa10102 100644
--- a/fs/netfs/locking.c
+++ b/fs/netfs/locking.c
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ int netfs_start_io_write(struct inode *inode)
 		up_write(&inode->i_rwsem);
 		return -ERESTARTSYS;
 	}
+	downgrade_write(&inode->i_rwsem);
 	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(netfs_start_io_write);
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(netfs_start_io_write);
 void netfs_end_io_write(struct inode *inode)
 	__releases(inode->i_rwsem)
 {
-	up_write(&inode->i_rwsem);
+	up_read(&inode->i_rwsem);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(netfs_end_io_write);