diff --git a/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_delete.c b/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_delete.c
index d7e842240b..e187e91253 100644
--- a/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_delete.c
+++ b/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_delete.c
@@ -542,6 +542,7 @@ ldbm_back_delete(Slapi_PBlock *pb)
                             if (cache_retry == RETRY_CACHE_LOCK &&
                                 cache_retry_count < LDBM_CACHE_RETRY_COUNT) {
                                 /* try again */
+                                CACHE_RETURN(&(inst->inst_cache), &parent);
                                 DS_Sleep(PR_MillisecondsToInterval(100));
                                 cache_retry_count++;
                                 continue;