diff --git a/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/unroll_3q_or_more.py b/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/unroll_3q_or_more.py
index 54a3ebf4c915..5fb37112a7bb 100644
--- a/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/unroll_3q_or_more.py
+++ b/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/unroll_3q_or_more.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def run(self, dag):
                     "Cannot unroll all 3q or more gates. "
                     "No rule to expand instruction %s." % node.op.name
                 )
-            decomposition = circuit_to_dag(node.op.definition)
+            decomposition = circuit_to_dag(node.op.definition, copy_operations=False)
             decomposition = self.run(decomposition)  # recursively unroll
             dag.substitute_node_with_dag(node, decomposition)
         return dag