diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/Translog.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/Translog.java
index 6a32ae14fdd..c34f851195a 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/Translog.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/Translog.java
@@ -1515,7 +1515,7 @@ public class Translog extends AbstractIndexShardComponent implements IndexShardC
      * @return the minimum generation for the sequence number
      */
     public TranslogGeneration getMinGenerationForSeqNo(final long seqNo) {
-        try (ReleasableLock ignored = writeLock.acquire()) {
+        try (ReleasableLock ignored = readLock.acquire()) {
             /*
              * When flushing, the engine will ask the translog for the minimum generation that could contain any sequence number after the
              * local checkpoint. Immediately after flushing, there will be no such generation, so this minimum generation in this case will