diff --git a/tokio-util/src/sync/cancellation_token/tree_node.rs b/tokio-util/src/sync/cancellation_token/tree_node.rs
index 8f97dee8de5..f1abb4a8d33 100644
--- a/tokio-util/src/sync/cancellation_token/tree_node.rs
+++ b/tokio-util/src/sync/cancellation_token/tree_node.rs
@@ -151,47 +151,43 @@ fn with_locked_node_and_parent<F, Ret>(node: &Arc<TreeNode>, func: F) -> Ret
 where
     F: FnOnce(MutexGuard<'_, Inner>, Option<MutexGuard<'_, Inner>>) -> Ret,
 {
-    let mut potential_parent = {
-        let locked_node = node.inner.lock().unwrap();
-        match locked_node.parent.clone() {
-            Some(parent) => parent,
-            // If we locked the node and its parent is `None`, we are in a valid state
-            // and can return.
-            None => return func(locked_node, None),
-        }
-    };
+    use std::sync::TryLockError;
 
+    let mut locked_node = node.inner.lock().unwrap();
+
+    // Every time this fails, the number of ancestors of the node decreases,
+    // so the loop must succeed after a finite number of iterations.
     loop {
-        // Deadlock safety:
-        //
-        // Due to invariant #2, we know that we have to lock the parent first, and then the child.
-        // This is true even if the potential_parent is no longer the current parent or even its
-        // sibling, as the invariant still holds.
-        let locked_parent = potential_parent.inner.lock().unwrap();
-        let locked_node = node.inner.lock().unwrap();
-
-        let actual_parent = match locked_node.parent.clone() {
-            Some(parent) => parent,
-            // If we locked the node and its parent is `None`, we are in a valid state
-            // and can return.
-            None => {
-                // Was the wrong parent, so unlock it before calling `func`
-                drop(locked_parent);
-                return func(locked_node, None);
+        // Look up the parent of the currently locked node.
+        let potential_parent = match locked_node.parent.as_ref() {
+            Some(potential_parent) => potential_parent.clone(),
+            None => return func(locked_node, None),
+        };
+
+        // Lock the parent. This may require unlocking the child first.
+        let locked_parent = match potential_parent.inner.try_lock() {
+            Ok(locked_parent) => locked_parent,
+            Err(TryLockError::WouldBlock) => {
+                drop(locked_node);
+                // Deadlock safety:
+                //
+                // Due to invariant #2, the potential parent must come before
+                // the child in the creation order. Therefore, we can safely
+                // lock the child while holding the parent lock.
+                let locked_parent = potential_parent.inner.lock().unwrap();
+                locked_node = node.inner.lock().unwrap();
+                locked_parent
             }
+            Err(TryLockError::Poisoned(err)) => Err(err).unwrap(),
         };
 
-        // Loop until we managed to lock both the node and its parent
-        if Arc::ptr_eq(&actual_parent, &potential_parent) {
-            return func(locked_node, Some(locked_parent));
+        // If we unlocked the child, then the parent may have changed. Check
+        // that we still have the right parent.
+        if let Some(actual_parent) = locked_node.parent.as_ref() {
+            if Arc::ptr_eq(actual_parent, &potential_parent) {
+                return func(locked_node, Some(locked_parent));
+            }
         }
-
-        // Drop locked_parent before reassigning to potential_parent,
-        // as potential_parent is borrowed in it
-        drop(locked_node);
-        drop(locked_parent);
-
-        potential_parent = actual_parent;
     }
 }