diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
index cdfc136b5bfb..2e055c079f39 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
@@ -298,6 +298,13 @@ xfs_attr_set_args(
 		if (error != -ENOSPC)
 			return error;
 
+		/*
+		 * Promote the attribute list to the Btree format.
+		 */
+		error = xfs_attr3_leaf_to_node(args);
+		if (error)
+			return error;
+
 		/*
 		 * Finish any deferred work items and roll the transaction once
 		 * more.  The goal here is to call node_addname with the inode
@@ -603,7 +610,7 @@ xfs_attr_leaf_try_add(
 	struct xfs_da_args	*args,
 	struct xfs_buf		*bp)
 {
-	int			retval, error;
+	int			retval;
 
 	/*
 	 * Look up the given attribute in the leaf block.  Figure out if
@@ -635,20 +642,10 @@ xfs_attr_leaf_try_add(
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Add the attribute to the leaf block, transitioning to a Btree
-	 * if required.
+	 * Add the attribute to the leaf block
 	 */
-	retval = xfs_attr3_leaf_add(bp, args);
-	if (retval == -ENOSPC) {
-		/*
-		 * Promote the attribute list to the Btree format. Unless an
-		 * error occurs, retain the -ENOSPC retval
-		 */
-		error = xfs_attr3_leaf_to_node(args);
-		if (error)
-			return error;
-	}
-	return retval;
+	return xfs_attr3_leaf_add(bp, args);
+
 out_brelse:
 	xfs_trans_brelse(args->trans, bp);
 	return retval;