diff --git a/sys/netinet6/nd6.c b/sys/netinet6/nd6.c
index e1fd421060df..945640929963 100644
--- a/sys/netinet6/nd6.c
+++ b/sys/netinet6/nd6.c
@@ -2357,12 +2357,18 @@ nd6_get_llentry(struct ifnet *ifp, const struct in6_addr *addr, int family)
 		} else {
 			/* child lle already exists, free newly-created one */
 			lltable_free_entry(LLTABLE6(ifp), child_lle);
+			LLE_WLOCK(lle_tmp);
 			child_lle = lle_tmp;
 		}
 		LLE_WUNLOCK(lle);
 		lle = child_lle;
+		if (!rw_wowned(&lle->lle_lock))
+			panic("lle %p not locked @ %s:%d!", lle, __FILE__, __LINE__);
 	}
 	IF_AFDATA_WUNLOCK(ifp);
+
+	if (!rw_wowned(&lle->lle_lock))
+		panic("lle %p not locked @ %s:%d!", lle, __FILE__, __LINE__);
 	return (lle);
 }
 
@@ -2410,7 +2416,8 @@ nd6_resolve_slow(struct ifnet *ifp, int family, int flags, struct mbuf *m,
 		return (ENOBUFS);
 	}
 
-	LLE_WLOCK_ASSERT(lle);
+	if (!rw_wowned(&lle->lle_lock))
+		panic("lle %p not locked @ %s:%d!", lle, __FILE__, __LINE__);
 
 	/*
 	 * The first time we send a packet to a neighbor whose entry is