diff --git a/fs/jbd2/transaction.c b/fs/jbd2/transaction.c
index de992a70ddfe..0b663269771d 100644
--- a/fs/jbd2/transaction.c
+++ b/fs/jbd2/transaction.c
@@ -1983,6 +1983,9 @@ static void __jbd2_journal_temp_unlink_buffer(struct journal_head *jh)
  */
 static void __jbd2_journal_unfile_buffer(struct journal_head *jh)
 {
+	J_ASSERT_JH(jh, jh->b_transaction != NULL);
+	J_ASSERT_JH(jh, jh->b_next_transaction == NULL);
+
 	__jbd2_journal_temp_unlink_buffer(jh);
 	jh->b_transaction = NULL;
 	jbd2_journal_put_journal_head(jh);
@@ -2530,6 +2533,13 @@ void __jbd2_journal_refile_buffer(struct journal_head *jh)
 
 	was_dirty = test_clear_buffer_jbddirty(bh);
 	__jbd2_journal_temp_unlink_buffer(jh);
+
+	/*
+	 * b_transaction must be set, otherwise the new b_transaction won't
+	 * be holding jh reference
+	 */
+	J_ASSERT_JH(jh, jh->b_transaction != NULL);
+
 	/*
 	 * We set b_transaction here because b_next_transaction will inherit
 	 * our jh reference and thus __jbd2_journal_file_buffer() must not