diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_inode.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_inode.c
index 360fe83a334f..f7f8292347ab 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_inode.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_inode.c
@@ -1642,8 +1642,11 @@ xfs_inode_needs_inactive(
 	if (VFS_I(ip)->i_mode == 0)
 		return false;
 
-	/* If this is a read-only mount, don't do this (would generate I/O) */
-	if (xfs_is_readonly(mp))
+	/*
+	 * If this is a read-only mount, don't do this (would generate I/O)
+	 * unless we're in log recovery and cleaning the iunlinked list.
+	 */
+	if (xfs_is_readonly(mp) && !xlog_recovery_needed(mp->m_log))
 		return false;
 
 	/* If the log isn't running, push inodes straight to reclaim. */
@@ -1703,8 +1706,11 @@ xfs_inactive(
 	mp = ip->i_mount;
 	ASSERT(!xfs_iflags_test(ip, XFS_IRECOVERY));
 
-	/* If this is a read-only mount, don't do this (would generate I/O) */
-	if (xfs_is_readonly(mp))
+	/*
+	 * If this is a read-only mount, don't do this (would generate I/O)
+	 * unless we're in log recovery and cleaning the iunlinked list.
+	 */
+	if (xfs_is_readonly(mp) && !xlog_recovery_needed(mp->m_log))
 		goto out;
 
 	/* Metadata inodes require explicit resource cleanup. */