diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
index 576de34cfca0..940f1e3a480b 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ STATIC void xfs_attr_restore_rmt_blk(struct xfs_da_args *args);
 static int xfs_attr_node_try_addname(struct xfs_attr_item *attr);
 STATIC int xfs_attr_node_addname_find_attr(struct xfs_attr_item *attr);
 STATIC int xfs_attr_node_remove_attr(struct xfs_attr_item *attr);
-STATIC int xfs_attr_node_hasname(xfs_da_args_t *args,
-				 struct xfs_da_state **state);
+STATIC int xfs_attr_node_lookup(struct xfs_da_args *args,
+		struct xfs_da_state *state);
 
 int
 xfs_inode_hasattr(
@@ -594,6 +594,19 @@ xfs_attr_leaf_mark_incomplete(
 	return xfs_attr3_leaf_setflag(args);
 }
 
+/* Ensure the da state of an xattr deferred work item is ready to go. */
+static inline void
+xfs_attr_item_init_da_state(
+	struct xfs_attr_item	*attr)
+{
+	struct xfs_da_args	*args = attr->xattri_da_args;
+
+	if (!attr->xattri_da_state)
+		attr->xattri_da_state = xfs_da_state_alloc(args);
+	else
+		xfs_da_state_reset(attr->xattri_da_state, args);
+}
+
 /*
  * Initial setup for xfs_attr_node_removename.  Make sure the attr is there and
  * the blocks are valid.  Attr keys with remote blocks will be marked
@@ -607,7 +620,8 @@ int xfs_attr_node_removename_setup(
 	struct xfs_da_state		*state;
 	int				error;
 
-	error = xfs_attr_node_hasname(args, &attr->xattri_da_state);
+	xfs_attr_item_init_da_state(attr);
+	error = xfs_attr_node_lookup(args, attr->xattri_da_state);
 	if (error != -EEXIST)
 		goto out;
 	error = 0;
@@ -855,6 +869,7 @@ xfs_attr_lookup(
 {
 	struct xfs_inode	*dp = args->dp;
 	struct xfs_buf		*bp = NULL;
+	struct xfs_da_state	*state;
 	int			error;
 
 	if (!xfs_inode_hasattr(dp))
@@ -872,7 +887,10 @@ xfs_attr_lookup(
 		return error;
 	}
 
-	return xfs_attr_node_hasname(args, NULL);
+	state = xfs_da_state_alloc(args);
+	error = xfs_attr_node_lookup(args, state);
+	xfs_da_state_free(state);
+	return error;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1387,34 +1405,20 @@ xfs_attr_leaf_get(xfs_da_args_t *args)
 	return error;
 }
 
-/*
- * Return EEXIST if attr is found, or ENOATTR if not
- * statep: If not null is set to point at the found state.  Caller will
- *         be responsible for freeing the state in this case.
- */
+/* Return EEXIST if attr is found, or ENOATTR if not. */
 STATIC int
-xfs_attr_node_hasname(
+xfs_attr_node_lookup(
 	struct xfs_da_args	*args,
-	struct xfs_da_state	**statep)
+	struct xfs_da_state	*state)
 {
-	struct xfs_da_state	*state;
 	int			retval, error;
 
-	state = xfs_da_state_alloc(args);
-	if (statep != NULL) {
-		ASSERT(*statep == NULL);
-		*statep = state;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Search to see if name exists, and get back a pointer to it.
 	 */
 	error = xfs_da3_node_lookup_int(state, &retval);
 	if (error)
-		retval = error;
-
-	if (!statep)
-		xfs_da_state_free(state);
+		return error;
 
 	return retval;
 }
@@ -1430,15 +1434,12 @@ xfs_attr_node_addname_find_attr(
 	struct xfs_da_args	*args = attr->xattri_da_args;
 	int			error;
 
-	if (attr->xattri_da_state)
-		xfs_da_state_free(attr->xattri_da_state);
-	attr->xattri_da_state = NULL;
-
 	/*
 	 * Search to see if name already exists, and get back a pointer
 	 * to where it should go.
 	 */
-	error = xfs_attr_node_hasname(args, &attr->xattri_da_state);
+	xfs_attr_item_init_da_state(attr);
+	error = xfs_attr_node_lookup(args, attr->xattri_da_state);
 	switch (error) {
 	case -ENOATTR:
 		if (args->op_flags & XFS_DA_OP_REPLACE)
@@ -1599,7 +1600,7 @@ STATIC int
 xfs_attr_node_get(
 	struct xfs_da_args	*args)
 {
-	struct xfs_da_state	*state = NULL;
+	struct xfs_da_state	*state;
 	struct xfs_da_state_blk	*blk;
 	int			i;
 	int			error;
@@ -1609,7 +1610,8 @@ xfs_attr_node_get(
 	/*
 	 * Search to see if name exists, and get back a pointer to it.
 	 */
-	error = xfs_attr_node_hasname(args, &state);
+	state = xfs_da_state_alloc(args);
+	error = xfs_attr_node_lookup(args, state);
 	if (error != -EEXIST)
 		goto out_release;
 
@@ -1628,8 +1630,7 @@ xfs_attr_node_get(
 		state->path.blk[i].bp = NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (state)
-		xfs_da_state_free(state);
+	xfs_da_state_free(state);
 	return error;
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.c
index aa74f3fdb571..e7201dc68f43 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.c
@@ -117,6 +117,17 @@ xfs_da_state_free(xfs_da_state_t *state)
 	kmem_cache_free(xfs_da_state_cache, state);
 }
 
+void
+xfs_da_state_reset(
+	struct xfs_da_state	*state,
+	struct xfs_da_args	*args)
+{
+	xfs_da_state_kill_altpath(state);
+	memset(state, 0, sizeof(struct xfs_da_state));
+	state->args = args;
+	state->mp = state->args->dp->i_mount;
+}
+
 static inline int xfs_dabuf_nfsb(struct xfs_mount *mp, int whichfork)
 {
 	if (whichfork == XFS_DATA_FORK)
diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h
index ed2303e4d46a..d33b7686a0b3 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ enum xfs_dacmp xfs_da_compname(struct xfs_da_args *args,
 
 struct xfs_da_state *xfs_da_state_alloc(struct xfs_da_args *args);
 void xfs_da_state_free(xfs_da_state_t *state);
+void xfs_da_state_reset(struct xfs_da_state *state, struct xfs_da_args *args);
 
 void	xfs_da3_node_hdr_from_disk(struct xfs_mount *mp,
 		struct xfs_da3_icnode_hdr *to, struct xfs_da_intnode *from);