diff --git a/vfs/dir.go b/vfs/dir.go
index a6889eb4c..972f75b23 100644
--- a/vfs/dir.go
+++ b/vfs/dir.go
@@ -29,12 +29,14 @@ type Dir struct {
 	mu      sync.RWMutex // protects the following
 	parent  *Dir         // parent, nil for root
 	path    string
-	modTime time.Time
 	entry   fs.Directory
 	read    time.Time         // time directory entry last read
 	items   map[string]Node   // directory entries - can be empty but not nil
 	virtual map[string]vState // virtual directory entries - may be nil
 	sys     atomic.Value      // user defined info to be attached here
+
+	modTimeMu sync.Mutex // protects the following
+	modTime   time.Time
 }
 
 //go:generate stringer -type=vState
@@ -270,11 +272,13 @@ func (d *Dir) _age(when time.Time) (age time.Duration, stale bool) {
 // reading everything again
 func (d *Dir) rename(newParent *Dir, fsDir fs.Directory) {
 	d.ForgetAll()
+	d.modTimeMu.Lock()
+	d.modTime = fsDir.ModTime(context.TODO())
+	d.modTimeMu.Unlock()
 	d.mu.Lock()
 	d.parent = newParent
 	d.entry = fsDir
 	d.path = fsDir.Remote()
-	d.modTime = fsDir.ModTime(context.TODO())
 	d.read = time.Time{}
 	d.mu.Unlock()
 }
@@ -550,8 +554,8 @@ func (d *Dir) isEmpty() (bool, error) {
 
 // ModTime returns the modification time of the directory
 func (d *Dir) ModTime() time.Time {
-	d.mu.RLock()
-	defer d.mu.RUnlock()
+	d.modTimeMu.Lock()
+	defer d.modTimeMu.Unlock()
 	// fs.Debugf(d.path, "Dir.ModTime %v", d.modTime)
 	return d.modTime
 }
@@ -566,9 +570,9 @@ func (d *Dir) SetModTime(modTime time.Time) error {
 	if d.vfs.Opt.ReadOnly {
 		return EROFS
 	}
-	d.mu.Lock()
+	d.modTimeMu.Lock()
 	d.modTime = modTime
-	d.mu.Unlock()
+	d.modTimeMu.Unlock()
 	return nil
 }