diff --git a/kernel/locking/locktorture.c b/kernel/locking/locktorture.c
index c7f264aed5b7a..9425aff089365 100644
--- a/kernel/locking/locktorture.c
+++ b/kernel/locking/locktorture.c
@@ -760,6 +760,7 @@ static int lock_torture_writer(void *arg)
 	int tid = lwsp - cxt.lwsa;
 	DEFINE_TORTURE_RANDOM(rand);
 	u32 lockset_mask;
+	bool skip_main_lock;
 
 	VERBOSE_TOROUT_STRING("lock_torture_writer task started");
 	set_user_nice(current, MAX_NICE);
@@ -769,21 +770,37 @@ static int lock_torture_writer(void *arg)
 			schedule_timeout_uninterruptible(1);
 
 		lockset_mask = torture_random(&rand);
+		/*
+		 * When using nested_locks, we want to occasionally
+		 * skip the main lock so we can avoid always serializing
+		 * the lock chains on that central lock. By skipping the
+		 * main lock occasionally, we can create different
+		 * contention patterns (allowing for multiple disjoint
+		 * blocked trees)
+		 */
+		skip_main_lock = (nested_locks &&
+				 !(torture_random(&rand) % 100));
+
 		cxt.cur_ops->task_boost(&rand);
 		if (cxt.cur_ops->nested_lock)
 			cxt.cur_ops->nested_lock(tid, lockset_mask);
-		cxt.cur_ops->writelock(tid);
-		if (WARN_ON_ONCE(lock_is_write_held))
-			lwsp->n_lock_fail++;
-		lock_is_write_held = true;
-		if (WARN_ON_ONCE(atomic_read(&lock_is_read_held)))
-			lwsp->n_lock_fail++; /* rare, but... */
 
-		lwsp->n_lock_acquired++;
+		if (!skip_main_lock) {
+			cxt.cur_ops->writelock(tid);
+			if (WARN_ON_ONCE(lock_is_write_held))
+				lwsp->n_lock_fail++;
+			lock_is_write_held = true;
+			if (WARN_ON_ONCE(atomic_read(&lock_is_read_held)))
+				lwsp->n_lock_fail++; /* rare, but... */
+
+			lwsp->n_lock_acquired++;
+		}
 		cxt.cur_ops->write_delay(&rand);
-		lock_is_write_held = false;
-		WRITE_ONCE(last_lock_release, jiffies);
-		cxt.cur_ops->writeunlock(tid);
+		if (!skip_main_lock) {
+			lock_is_write_held = false;
+			WRITE_ONCE(last_lock_release, jiffies);
+			cxt.cur_ops->writeunlock(tid);
+		}
 		if (cxt.cur_ops->nested_unlock)
 			cxt.cur_ops->nested_unlock(tid, lockset_mask);