diff --git a/fs/btrfs/transaction.c b/fs/btrfs/transaction.c
index bafc62cf5ebc..39909d363591 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/transaction.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/transaction.c
@@ -2583,6 +2583,12 @@ int btrfs_commit_transaction(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans)
 	ret = btrfs_write_and_wait_transaction(trans);
 	if (unlikely(ret)) {
 		btrfs_err(fs_info, "error while writing out transaction: %pe", ERR_PTR(ret));
+		/*
+		 * Abort before releasing tree_log_mutex, so a log sync waiting
+		 * on it sees the fs error and skips writing super_for_commit
+		 * for this failed transaction. See btrfs_sync_log().
+		 */
+		btrfs_abort_transaction(trans, ret);
 		mutex_unlock(&fs_info->tree_log_mutex);
 		goto scrub_continue;
 	}