diff --git a/fs/bcachefs/recovery.c b/fs/bcachefs/recovery.c
index 32d15aacc069..3c7f941dde39 100644
--- a/fs/bcachefs/recovery.c
+++ b/fs/bcachefs/recovery.c
@@ -862,6 +862,13 @@ use_clean:
 	if (ret)
 		goto err;
 
+	/*
+	 * Normally set by the appropriate recovery pass: when cleared, this
+	 * indicates we're in early recovery and btree updates should be done by
+	 * being applied to the journal replay keys. _Must_ be cleared before
+	 * multithreaded use:
+	 */
+	set_bit(BCH_FS_may_go_rw, &c->flags);
 	clear_bit(BCH_FS_fsck_running, &c->flags);
 
 	/* in case we don't run journal replay, i.e. norecovery mode */
diff --git a/fs/bcachefs/recovery_passes.c b/fs/bcachefs/recovery_passes.c
index 735b8adc8f9d..4bbeac9e0526 100644
--- a/fs/bcachefs/recovery_passes.c
+++ b/fs/bcachefs/recovery_passes.c
@@ -221,6 +221,12 @@ int bch2_run_recovery_passes(struct bch_fs *c)
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * We can't allow set_may_go_rw to be excluded; that would cause us to
+	 * use the journal replay keys for updates where it's not expected.
+	 */
+	c->opts.recovery_passes_exclude &= ~BCH_RECOVERY_PASS_set_may_go_rw;
+
 	while (c->curr_recovery_pass < ARRAY_SIZE(recovery_pass_fns)) {
 		if (c->opts.recovery_pass_last &&
 		    c->curr_recovery_pass > c->opts.recovery_pass_last)