diff --git a/util/cache.cc b/util/cache.cc
index 12de306ca..2d4433fcc 100644
--- a/util/cache.cc
+++ b/util/cache.cc
@@ -171,8 +171,8 @@ class LRUCache {
  private:
   void LRU_Remove(LRUHandle* e);
   void LRU_Append(LRUHandle* list, LRUHandle* e);
-  void Ref(LRUHandle* e);
-  void Unref(LRUHandle* e);
+  void Ref(LRUHandle* e) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(mutex_);
+  void Unref(LRUHandle* e) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(mutex_);
   bool FinishErase(LRUHandle* e) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(mutex_);
 
   // Initialized before use.