diff --git a/fs/reiserfs/journal.c b/fs/reiserfs/journal.c
index 83ac4d3b3cb0..ba98546fabbd 100644
--- a/fs/reiserfs/journal.c
+++ b/fs/reiserfs/journal.c
@@ -2913,7 +2913,9 @@ int journal_init(struct super_block *sb, const char *j_dev_name,
 	journal->j_mount_id = 10;
 	journal->j_state = 0;
 	atomic_set(&(journal->j_jlock), 0);
+	reiserfs_write_unlock(sb);
 	journal->j_cnode_free_list = allocate_cnodes(num_cnodes);
+	reiserfs_write_lock(sb);
 	journal->j_cnode_free_orig = journal->j_cnode_free_list;
 	journal->j_cnode_free = journal->j_cnode_free_list ? num_cnodes : 0;
 	journal->j_cnode_used = 0;