diff --git a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clrpcops.c b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clrpcops.c
index 04597a27edf..08c9117a8fc 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clrpcops.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clrpcops.c
@@ -749,13 +749,12 @@ nfsrpc_close(vnode_t vp, int doclose, NFSPROC_T *p)
 		return (0);
 	if (doclose)
 		error = nfscl_doclose(vp, &clp, p);
-	else
+	else {
 		error = nfscl_getclose(vp, &clp);
-	if (error)
-		return (error);
-
-	nfscl_clientrelease(clp);
-	return (0);
+		if (error == 0)
+			nfscl_clientrelease(clp);
+	}
+	return (error);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clstate.c b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clstate.c
index d3ce1c6bef8..7ad0f1c1a36 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clstate.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clstate.c
@@ -3381,6 +3381,7 @@ lookformore:
 			goto lookformore;
 		}
 	}
+	nfscl_clrelease(clp);
 	NFSUNLOCKCLSTATE();
 	/*
 	 * recallp has been set NULL by nfscl_retoncloselayout() if it was