diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/dlm/dlmmaster.c b/fs/ocfs2/dlm/dlmmaster.c
index 55a6512e9fde..f105746063ed 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/dlm/dlmmaster.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/dlm/dlmmaster.c
@@ -2760,6 +2760,7 @@ static int dlm_migrate_lockres(struct dlm_ctxt *dlm,
  * Returns: 1 if dlm->spinlock was dropped/retaken, 0 if never dropped
  */
 int dlm_empty_lockres(struct dlm_ctxt *dlm, struct dlm_lock_resource *res)
+	__must_hold(&dlm->spinlock)
 {
 	int ret;
 	int lock_dropped = 0;