diff --git a/kmod/src/server.c b/kmod/src/server.c
index 73a74223..6367e350 100644
--- a/kmod/src/server.c
+++ b/kmod/src/server.c
@@ -1586,6 +1586,13 @@ static int server_commit_log_trees(struct super_block *sb,
 	if (ret < 0 || committed)
 		goto unlock;
 
+	/* make sure _update succeeds before we modify srch items */
+	ret = scoutfs_btree_dirty(sb, &server->alloc, &server->wri, &super->logs_root, &key);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		err_str = "dirtying lt item";
+		goto unlock;
+	}
+
 	/* try to rotate the srch log when big enough */
 	mutex_lock(&server->srch_mutex);
 	ret = scoutfs_srch_rotate_log(sb, &server->alloc, &server->wri,
@@ -1600,6 +1607,7 @@ static int server_commit_log_trees(struct super_block *sb,
 
 	ret = scoutfs_btree_update(sb, &server->alloc, &server->wri,
 				   &super->logs_root, &key, &lt, sizeof(lt));
+	BUG_ON(ret < 0); /* dirtying should have guaranteed success */
 	if (ret < 0)
 		err_str = "updating log trees item";
 
diff --git a/kmod/src/srch.c b/kmod/src/srch.c
index 2cb99b4c..ebf113e6 100644
--- a/kmod/src/srch.c
+++ b/kmod/src/srch.c
@@ -995,6 +995,14 @@ int scoutfs_srch_rotate_log(struct super_block *sb,
 		      le64_to_cpu(sfl->ref.blkno), 0);
 	ret = scoutfs_btree_insert(sb, alloc, wri, root, &key,
 				   sfl, sizeof(*sfl));
+	/*
+	 * While it's fine to replay moving the client's logging srch
+	 * file to the core btree item, server commits should keep it
+	 * from happening.  So we'll warn if we see it happen.  This can
+	 * be removed eventually.
+	 */
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(ret == -EEXIST))
+		ret = 0;
 	if (ret == 0) {
 		memset(sfl, 0, sizeof(*sfl));
 		scoutfs_inc_counter(sb, srch_rotate_log);