diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el b/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el
index 345a28d3f1..80c580e5ec 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el
@@ -897,6 +897,7 @@ vc-prefix-map
     (define-key map "s" 'vc-create-tag)
     (define-key map "u" 'vc-revert)
     (define-key map "v" 'vc-next-action)
+    (define-key map "V" 'vc-next-action-on-root)
     (define-key map "+" 'vc-update)
     ;; I'd prefer some kind of symmetry with vc-update:
     (define-key map "P" 'vc-push)
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc.el b/lisp/vc/vc.el
index f7d651fac6..13d60b6fcf 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc.el
@@ -1065,19 +1067,27 @@ vc-deduce-fileset
 	      (list buffer-file-name))))
      (t (error "File is not under version control")))))
 
+(defun vc-root-deduce-fileset (callback)
+  (let* ((backend (vc-responsible-backend default-directory))
+         (rootdir (vc-call-backend backend 'root default-directory)))
+    (vc-directory-deduce-fileset rootdir callback)))
+
+(defun vc-directory-deduce-fileset (dir callback)
+  ;; TODO: use vc-dir-status-files
+  )
+
 (declare-function dired-get-marked-files "dired"
                   (&optional localp arg filter distinguish-one-marked error))
 
-(defun vc-dired-deduce-fileset (&optional state-model-only-files observer)
+(defun vc-dired-deduce-fileset (&optional callback)
   (let ((backend (vc-responsible-backend default-directory))
         (files (dired-get-marked-files nil nil nil nil t))
 	only-files-list
 	state
 	model)
-    (when (and (not observer) (cl-some #'file-directory-p files))
-      (error "State changing VC operations on directories not supported in `dired-mode'"))
 
-    (when state-model-only-files
+    (when callback
+      ;; TODO: use vc-directory-deduce-fileset
       (setq only-files-list (mapcar (lambda (file) (cons file (vc-state file))) files))
       (setq state (cdar only-files-list))
       ;; Check that all files are in a consistent state, since we use that
@@ -1132,6 +1142,11 @@ vc-read-backend
    (completing-read prompt (mapcar #'symbol-name vc-handled-backends)
                     nil 'require-match)))
 
+(defun vc-next-action-on-root (verbose)
+  (interactive "P")
+  (vc-root-deduce-fileset
+   (lambda (vc-fileset) (vc-next-action-on-fileset vc-fileset verbose))))
+
 ;; Here's the major entry point.
 
 ;;;###autoload
@@ -1158,8 +1173,16 @@ vc-next-action
   If every file is locked by you and unchanged, unlock them.
   If every file is locked by someone else, offer to steal the lock."
   (interactive "P")
-  (let* ((vc-fileset (vc-deduce-fileset nil t 'state-model-only-files))
-         (backend (car vc-fileset))
+  (cond
+   ((derived-mode-p 'dired-mode)
+    ;; Async operation
+    (vc-dired-deduce-fileset
+     (lambda (vc-fileset) (vc-next-action-on-fileset vc-fileset verbose))))
+   (t (vc-next-action-on-fileset
+       (vc-deduce-fileset nil t 'state-model-only-files) verbose))))
+
+(defun vc-next-action-on-fileset (vc-fileset verbose)
+  (let* ((backend (car vc-fileset))
 	 (files (nth 1 vc-fileset))
          ;; (fileset-only-files (nth 2 vc-fileset))
          ;; FIXME: We used to call `vc-recompute-state' here.
@@ -3138,6 +3171,10 @@ vc-default-dir-status-files
   (funcall update-function
            (mapcar (lambda (file) (list file 'up-to-date)) files)))
 
+(defun vc-dir-status-files (backend dir files update-function)
+  (funcall update-function
+           (mapcar (lambda (file) (list file 'up-to-date)) files)))
+
 (defun vc-check-headers ()
   "Check if the current file has any headers in it."
   (interactive)