diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c b/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
index 034bbccc437..2b89490ce61 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
@@ -3911,7 +3911,8 @@ getblkx(struct vnode *vp, daddr_t blkno, daddr_t dblkno, int size, int slpflag,
 	CTR3(KTR_BUF, "getblk(%p, %ld, %d)", vp, (long)blkno, size);
 	KASSERT((flags & (GB_UNMAPPED | GB_KVAALLOC)) != GB_KVAALLOC,
 	    ("GB_KVAALLOC only makes sense with GB_UNMAPPED"));
-	ASSERT_VOP_LOCKED(vp, "getblk");
+	if (vp->v_type != VCHR)
+		ASSERT_VOP_LOCKED(vp, "getblk");
 	if (size > maxbcachebuf)
 		panic("getblk: size(%d) > maxbcachebuf(%d)\n", size,
 		    maxbcachebuf);