diff --git a/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c b/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c
index 7981a2598376..5d437c0c842c 100644
--- a/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c
+++ b/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c
@@ -315,12 +315,19 @@ static inline void binder_alloc_set_vma(struct binder_alloc *alloc,
 {
 	unsigned long vm_start = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * Allow clearing the vma with holding just the read lock to allow
+	 * munmapping downgrade of the write lock before freeing and closing the
+	 * file using binder_alloc_vma_close().
+	 */
 	if (vma) {
 		vm_start = vma->vm_start;
 		alloc->vma_vm_mm = vma->vm_mm;
+		mmap_assert_write_locked(alloc->vma_vm_mm);
+	} else {
+		mmap_assert_locked(alloc->vma_vm_mm);
 	}
 
-	mmap_assert_write_locked(alloc->vma_vm_mm);
 	alloc->vma_addr = vm_start;
 }