diff --git a/ipc/mqueue.c b/ipc/mqueue.c
index e5c4f609f22c2a..3953fda2e8bd18 100644
--- a/ipc/mqueue.c
+++ b/ipc/mqueue.c
@@ -840,7 +840,8 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE4(mq_open, const char __user *, u_name, int, oflag, umode_t, mode,
 		fd = error;
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&root->d_inode->i_mutex);
-	mnt_drop_write(mnt);
+	if (!ro)
+		mnt_drop_write(mnt);
 out_putname:
 	putname(name);
 	return fd;