diff --git a/drivers/ptp/ptp_private.h b/drivers/ptp/ptp_private.h
index b8d3df8a393a..bf823b8c3c8f 100644
--- a/drivers/ptp/ptp_private.h
+++ b/drivers/ptp/ptp_private.h
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
 #define PTP_BUF_TIMESTAMPS 30
 #define PTP_DEFAULT_MAX_VCLOCKS 20
 
+enum {
+	PTP_LOCK_PHYSICAL = 0,
+	PTP_LOCK_VIRTUAL,
+};
+
 struct timestamp_event_queue {
 	struct ptp_extts_event buf[PTP_MAX_TIMESTAMPS];
 	int head;
diff --git a/drivers/ptp/ptp_vclock.c b/drivers/ptp/ptp_vclock.c
index ab1d233173e1..6a14c39c4508 100644
--- a/drivers/ptp/ptp_vclock.c
+++ b/drivers/ptp/ptp_vclock.c
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ static long ptp_vclock_refresh(struct ptp_clock_info *ptp)
 	return PTP_VCLOCK_REFRESH_INTERVAL;
 }
 
+static void ptp_vclock_set_subclass(struct ptp_clock *ptp)
+{
+	lockdep_set_subclass(&ptp->clock.rwsem, PTP_LOCK_VIRTUAL);
+}
+
 static const struct ptp_clock_info ptp_vclock_info = {
 	.owner		= THIS_MODULE,
 	.name		= "ptp virtual clock",
@@ -137,6 +142,8 @@ struct ptp_vclock *ptp_vclock_register(struct ptp_clock *pclock)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	ptp_vclock_set_subclass(vclock->clock);
+
 	timecounter_init(&vclock->tc, &vclock->cc, 0);
 	ptp_schedule_worker(vclock->clock, PTP_VCLOCK_REFRESH_INTERVAL);