diff --git a/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/flush.go b/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/flush.go
index fec6ecf8..8630026c 100644
--- a/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/flush.go
+++ b/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/flush.go
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ func (c *cache) flushSmallObjects() {
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// Using the db after Close will panic and badger won't wait for outstanding txs,
+		// so we need to check manually.
+		if c.db.IsClosed() {
+			c.modeMtx.RUnlock()
+			return
+		}
+
 		_ = c.db.View(func(tx *badger.Txn) error {
 			it := tx.NewIterator(badger.DefaultIteratorOptions)
 			defer it.Close()
diff --git a/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/gc.go b/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/gc.go
index 51d3e976..8432a9c0 100644
--- a/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/gc.go
+++ b/pkg/local_object_storage/writecache/writecachebadger/gc.go
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ func (c *cache) runGCLoop() {
 			case <-c.closeCh:
 				return
 			case <-t.C:
+				// This serves to synchronize the c.db field when changing mode as well.
+				c.modeMtx.RLock()
+				ro := c.readOnly()
+				c.modeMtx.RUnlock()
+				if ro {
+					continue
+				}
+
 				// 0.5 is the recommended value so that write amplification of the value log is 2.
 				// See https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/dgraph-io/badger/v4#DB.RunValueLogGC for more info.
 				for c.db.RunValueLogGC(0.5) == nil {