diff --git a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
index a8d0acb0ad35..75bf2e5fcb6e 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
@@ -1948,11 +1948,10 @@ void merge_reloc_roots(struct reloc_control *rc)
 		} else {
 			if (!IS_ERR(root)) {
 				if (root->reloc_root == reloc_root) {
-					root->reloc_root = NULL;
+					clear_reloc_root(root);
+					/* Drop the ref for root->reloc_root. */
 					btrfs_put_root(reloc_root);
 				}
-				clear_bit(BTRFS_ROOT_DEAD_RELOC_TREE,
-					  &root->state);
 				btrfs_put_root(root);
 			}