diff --git sys/net/route.c sys/net/route.c
index 85a4f426450..e525ce31a6a 100644
--- sys/net/route.c
+++ sys/net/route.c
@@ -1600,6 +1600,7 @@ rtrequest1_fib(int req, struct rt_addrinfo *info, struct rtentry **ret_nrt,
 		if (error != 0)
 			return (error);
 
+		RT_UNLOCK(rt);
 		rt_notifydelete(rt, info);
 
 		/*
@@ -1607,11 +1608,10 @@ rtrequest1_fib(int req, struct rt_addrinfo *info, struct rtentry **ret_nrt,
 		 * but it's up to it to free the rtentry as we won't be
 		 * doing it.
 		 */
-		if (ret_nrt) {
+		if (ret_nrt)
 			*ret_nrt = rt;
-			RT_UNLOCK(rt);
-		} else
-			RTFREE_LOCKED(rt);
+		else
+			RTFREE(rt);
 		break;
 	case RTM_RESOLVE:
 		/*