diff --git a/block/qcow2.c b/block/qcow2.c
index b5c47931ef..4f5e6440fb 100644
--- a/block/qcow2.c
+++ b/block/qcow2.c
@@ -1296,7 +1296,8 @@ static int validate_compression_type(BDRVQcow2State *s, Error **errp)
 
 /* Called with s->lock held.  */
 static int coroutine_fn qcow2_do_open(BlockDriverState *bs, QDict *options,
-                                      int flags, Error **errp)
+                                      int flags, bool open_data_file,
+                                      Error **errp)
 {
     ERRP_GUARD();
     BDRVQcow2State *s = bs->opaque;
@@ -1614,50 +1615,52 @@ static int coroutine_fn qcow2_do_open(BlockDriverState *bs, QDict *options,
         goto fail;
     }
 
-    /* Open external data file */
-    s->data_file = bdrv_open_child(NULL, options, "data-file", bs,
-                                   &child_of_bds, BDRV_CHILD_DATA,
-                                   true, errp);
-    if (*errp) {
-        ret = -EINVAL;
-        goto fail;
-    }
+    if (open_data_file) {
+        /* Open external data file */
+        s->data_file = bdrv_open_child(NULL, options, "data-file", bs,
+                                       &child_of_bds, BDRV_CHILD_DATA,
+                                       true, errp);
+        if (*errp) {
+            ret = -EINVAL;
+            goto fail;
+        }
 
-    if (s->incompatible_features & QCOW2_INCOMPAT_DATA_FILE) {
-        if (!s->data_file && s->image_data_file) {
-            s->data_file = bdrv_open_child(s->image_data_file, options,
-                                           "data-file", bs, &child_of_bds,
-                                           BDRV_CHILD_DATA, false, errp);
+        if (s->incompatible_features & QCOW2_INCOMPAT_DATA_FILE) {
+            if (!s->data_file && s->image_data_file) {
+                s->data_file = bdrv_open_child(s->image_data_file, options,
+                                               "data-file", bs, &child_of_bds,
+                                               BDRV_CHILD_DATA, false, errp);
+                if (!s->data_file) {
+                    ret = -EINVAL;
+                    goto fail;
+                }
+            }
             if (!s->data_file) {
+                error_setg(errp, "'data-file' is required for this image");
                 ret = -EINVAL;
                 goto fail;
             }
-        }
-        if (!s->data_file) {
-            error_setg(errp, "'data-file' is required for this image");
-            ret = -EINVAL;
-            goto fail;
-        }
 
-        /* No data here */
-        bs->file->role &= ~BDRV_CHILD_DATA;
+            /* No data here */
+            bs->file->role &= ~BDRV_CHILD_DATA;
 
-        /* Must succeed because we have given up permissions if anything */
-        bdrv_child_refresh_perms(bs, bs->file, &error_abort);
-    } else {
-        if (s->data_file) {
-            error_setg(errp, "'data-file' can only be set for images with an "
-                             "external data file");
-            ret = -EINVAL;
-            goto fail;
-        }
+            /* Must succeed because we have given up permissions if anything */
+            bdrv_child_refresh_perms(bs, bs->file, &error_abort);
+        } else {
+            if (s->data_file) {
+                error_setg(errp, "'data-file' can only be set for images with "
+                                 "an external data file");
+                ret = -EINVAL;
+                goto fail;
+            }
 
-        s->data_file = bs->file;
+            s->data_file = bs->file;
 
-        if (data_file_is_raw(bs)) {
-            error_setg(errp, "data-file-raw requires a data file");
-            ret = -EINVAL;
-            goto fail;
+            if (data_file_is_raw(bs)) {
+                error_setg(errp, "data-file-raw requires a data file");
+                ret = -EINVAL;
+                goto fail;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1839,7 +1842,7 @@ static int coroutine_fn qcow2_do_open(BlockDriverState *bs, QDict *options,
 
  fail:
     g_free(s->image_data_file);
-    if (has_data_file(bs)) {
+    if (open_data_file && has_data_file(bs)) {
         bdrv_unref_child(bs, s->data_file);
         s->data_file = NULL;
     }
@@ -1876,7 +1879,8 @@ static void coroutine_fn qcow2_open_entry(void *opaque)
     BDRVQcow2State *s = qoc->bs->opaque;
 
     qemu_co_mutex_lock(&s->lock);
-    qoc->ret = qcow2_do_open(qoc->bs, qoc->options, qoc->flags, qoc->errp);
+    qoc->ret = qcow2_do_open(qoc->bs, qoc->options, qoc->flags, true,
+                             qoc->errp);
     qemu_co_mutex_unlock(&s->lock);
 }
 
@@ -2714,7 +2718,7 @@ static int qcow2_inactivate(BlockDriverState *bs)
     return result;
 }
 
-static void qcow2_close(BlockDriverState *bs)
+static void qcow2_do_close(BlockDriverState *bs, bool close_data_file)
 {
     BDRVQcow2State *s = bs->opaque;
     qemu_vfree(s->l1_table);
@@ -2740,7 +2744,7 @@ static void qcow2_close(BlockDriverState *bs)
     g_free(s->image_backing_file);
     g_free(s->image_backing_format);
 
-    if (has_data_file(bs)) {
+    if (close_data_file && has_data_file(bs)) {
         bdrv_unref_child(bs, s->data_file);
         s->data_file = NULL;
     }
@@ -2749,11 +2753,17 @@ static void qcow2_close(BlockDriverState *bs)
     qcow2_free_snapshots(bs);
 }
 
+static void qcow2_close(BlockDriverState *bs)
+{
+    qcow2_do_close(bs, true);
+}
+
 static void coroutine_fn qcow2_co_invalidate_cache(BlockDriverState *bs,
                                                    Error **errp)
 {
     ERRP_GUARD();
     BDRVQcow2State *s = bs->opaque;
+    BdrvChild *data_file;
     int flags = s->flags;
     QCryptoBlock *crypto = NULL;
     QDict *options;
@@ -2767,14 +2777,24 @@ static void coroutine_fn qcow2_co_invalidate_cache(BlockDriverState *bs,
     crypto = s->crypto;
     s->crypto = NULL;
 
-    qcow2_close(bs);
+    /*
+     * Do not reopen s->data_file (i.e., have qcow2_do_close() not close it,
+     * and then prevent qcow2_do_open() from opening it), because this function
+     * runs in the I/O path and as such we must not invoke global-state
+     * functions like bdrv_unref_child() and bdrv_open_child().
+     */
 
+    qcow2_do_close(bs, false);
+
+    data_file = s->data_file;
     memset(s, 0, sizeof(BDRVQcow2State));
+    s->data_file = data_file;
+
     options = qdict_clone_shallow(bs->options);
 
     flags &= ~BDRV_O_INACTIVE;
     qemu_co_mutex_lock(&s->lock);
-    ret = qcow2_do_open(bs, options, flags, errp);
+    ret = qcow2_do_open(bs, options, flags, false, errp);
     qemu_co_mutex_unlock(&s->lock);
     qobject_unref(options);
     if (ret < 0) {