diff --git a/module/zfs/spa.c b/module/zfs/spa.c
index bbb83fc610..6be6fe1156 100644
--- a/module/zfs/spa.c
+++ b/module/zfs/spa.c
@@ -9281,7 +9281,13 @@ spa_sync(spa_t *spa, uint64_t txg)
 	 * into config changes that go out with this transaction group.
 	 */
 	spa_config_enter(spa, SCL_STATE, FTAG, RW_READER);
-	while (list_head(&spa->spa_state_dirty_list) != NULL) {
+	while ((vd = list_head(&spa->spa_state_dirty_list)) != NULL) {
+		/* Avoid holding the write lock unless actually necessary */
+		if (vd->vdev_aux == NULL) {
+			vdev_state_clean(vd);
+			vdev_config_dirty(vd);
+			continue;
+		}
 		/*
 		 * We need the write lock here because, for aux vdevs,
 		 * calling vdev_config_dirty() modifies sav_config.