diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
index 9aed5c7c2734..1a327eb3580b 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
@@ -475,9 +475,14 @@ static noinline int __btrfs_cow_block(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 		    btrfs_header_backref_rev(buf) < BTRFS_MIXED_BACKREF_REV)
 			parent_start = buf->start;
 
-		atomic_inc(&cow->refs);
 		ret = btrfs_tree_mod_log_insert_root(root->node, cow, true);
-		BUG_ON(ret < 0);
+		if (ret < 0) {
+			btrfs_tree_unlock(cow);
+			free_extent_buffer(cow);
+			btrfs_abort_transaction(trans, ret);
+			return ret;
+		}
+		atomic_inc(&cow->refs);
 		rcu_assign_pointer(root->node, cow);
 
 		btrfs_free_tree_block(trans, btrfs_root_id(root), buf,