diff --git a/src/system/boot/loader/vfs.cpp b/src/system/boot/loader/vfs.cpp
index 21d02c8183..2aa2ecc022 100644
--- a/src/system/boot/loader/vfs.cpp
+++ b/src/system/boot/loader/vfs.cpp
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@ BootVolume::SetTo(Directory* rootDirectory)
 		return B_BAD_VALUE;
 
 	fRootDirectory = rootDirectory;
+	fRootDirectory->Acquire();
 
 	// find the system directory
 	Node* systemNode = fRootDirectory->Lookup("system", true);