diff --git a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
index ceb90d152cdd..0f19a22d7f44 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
@@ -1384,6 +1384,7 @@ static void __del_reloc_root(struct btrfs_root *root)
 	struct rb_node *rb_node;
 	struct mapping_node *node = NULL;
 	struct reloc_control *rc = fs_info->reloc_ctl;
+	bool put_ref = false;
 
 	if (rc && root->node) {
 		spin_lock(&rc->reloc_root_tree.lock);
@@ -1399,9 +1400,22 @@ static void __del_reloc_root(struct btrfs_root *root)
 		BUG_ON((struct btrfs_root *)node->data != root);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * We only put the reloc root here if it's on the list.  There's a lot
+	 * of places where the pattern is to splice the rc->reloc_roots, process
+	 * the reloc roots, and then add the reloc root back onto
+	 * rc->reloc_roots.  If we call __del_reloc_root while it's off of the
+	 * list we don't want the reference being dropped, because the guy
+	 * messing with the list is in charge of the reference.
+	 */
 	spin_lock(&fs_info->trans_lock);
-	list_del_init(&root->root_list);
+	if (!list_empty(&root->root_list)) {
+		put_ref = true;
+		list_del_init(&root->root_list);
+	}
 	spin_unlock(&fs_info->trans_lock);
+	if (put_ref)
+		btrfs_put_root(root);
 	kfree(node);
 }
 
@@ -1516,6 +1530,9 @@ static struct btrfs_root *create_reloc_root(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 /*
  * create reloc tree for a given fs tree. reloc tree is just a
  * snapshot of the fs tree with special root objectid.
+ *
+ * The reloc_root comes out of here with two references, one for
+ * root->reloc_root, and another for being on the rc->reloc_roots list.
  */
 int btrfs_init_reloc_root(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 			  struct btrfs_root *root)
@@ -1555,7 +1572,7 @@ int btrfs_init_reloc_root(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 
 	ret = __add_reloc_root(reloc_root);
 	BUG_ON(ret < 0);
-	root->reloc_root = reloc_root;
+	root->reloc_root = btrfs_grab_root(reloc_root);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1576,6 +1593,13 @@ int btrfs_update_reloc_root(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 	reloc_root = root->reloc_root;
 	root_item = &reloc_root->root_item;
 
+	/*
+	 * We are probably ok here, but __del_reloc_root() will drop its ref of
+	 * the root.  We have the ref fro root->reloc_root, but just in case
+	 * hold it while we update the reloc root.
+	 */
+	btrfs_grab_root(reloc_root);
+
 	/* root->reloc_root will stay until current relocation finished */
 	if (fs_info->reloc_ctl->merge_reloc_tree &&
 	    btrfs_root_refs(root_item) == 0) {
@@ -1597,7 +1621,7 @@ int btrfs_update_reloc_root(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 	ret = btrfs_update_root(trans, fs_info->tree_root,
 				&reloc_root->root_key, root_item);
 	BUG_ON(ret);
-
+	btrfs_put_root(reloc_root);
 out:
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -2297,19 +2321,28 @@ static int clean_dirty_subvols(struct reloc_control *rc)
 			 */
 			smp_wmb();
 			clear_bit(BTRFS_ROOT_DEAD_RELOC_TREE, &root->state);
-
 			if (reloc_root) {
-
+				/*
+				 * btrfs_drop_snapshot drops our ref we hold for
+				 * ->reloc_root.  If it fails however we must
+				 * drop the ref ourselves.
+				 */
 				ret2 = btrfs_drop_snapshot(reloc_root, NULL, 0, 1);
-				if (ret2 < 0 && !ret)
-					ret = ret2;
+				if (ret2 < 0) {
+					btrfs_put_root(reloc_root);
+					if (!ret)
+						ret = ret2;
+				}
 			}
 			btrfs_put_root(root);
 		} else {
 			/* Orphan reloc tree, just clean it up */
 			ret2 = btrfs_drop_snapshot(root, NULL, 0, 1);
-			if (ret2 < 0 && !ret)
-				ret = ret2;
+			if (ret2 < 0) {
+				btrfs_put_root(root);
+				if (!ret)
+					ret = ret2;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return ret;
@@ -4698,7 +4731,7 @@ int btrfs_recover_relocation(struct btrfs_root *root)
 
 		err = __add_reloc_root(reloc_root);
 		BUG_ON(err < 0); /* -ENOMEM or logic error */
-		fs_root->reloc_root = reloc_root;
+		fs_root->reloc_root = btrfs_grab_root(reloc_root);
 		btrfs_put_root(fs_root);
 	}
 
@@ -4888,6 +4921,10 @@ void btrfs_reloc_pre_snapshot(struct btrfs_pending_snapshot *pending,
 /*
  * called after snapshot is created. migrate block reservation
  * and create reloc root for the newly created snapshot
+ *
+ * This is similar to btrfs_init_reloc_root(), we come out of here with two
+ * references held on the reloc_root, one for root->reloc_root and one for
+ * rc->reloc_roots.
  */
 int btrfs_reloc_post_snapshot(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 			       struct btrfs_pending_snapshot *pending)
@@ -4920,7 +4957,7 @@ int btrfs_reloc_post_snapshot(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 
 	ret = __add_reloc_root(reloc_root);
 	BUG_ON(ret < 0);
-	new_root->reloc_root = reloc_root;
+	new_root->reloc_root = btrfs_grab_root(reloc_root);
 
 	if (rc->create_reloc_tree)
 		ret = clone_backref_node(trans, rc, root, reloc_root);
