diff --git a/libxfs/xfs_attr.c b/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
index 4ab97dd..c43d0d9 100644
--- a/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
+++ b/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
@@ -370,11 +370,60 @@ xfs_has_attr(
  */
 int
 xfs_attr_remove_args(
+	struct xfs_da_args	*args)
+{
+	int			error = 0;
+	int			err2 = 0;
+
+	do {
+		error = xfs_attr_remove_iter(args);
+		if (error && error != -EAGAIN)
+			goto out;
+
+		if (args->dac.flags & XFS_DAC_FINISH_TRANS) {
+			args->dac.flags &= ~XFS_DAC_FINISH_TRANS;
+
+			err2 = xfs_defer_finish(&args->trans);
+			if (err2) {
+				error = err2;
+				goto out;
+			}
+		}
+
+		err2 = xfs_trans_roll_inode(&args->trans, args->dp);
+		if (err2) {
+			error = err2;
+			goto out;
+		}
+
+	} while (error == -EAGAIN);
+out:
+	return error;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Remove the attribute specified in @args.
+ * This routine is meant to function as a delayed operation, and may return
+ * -EGAIN when the transaction needs to be rolled.  Calling functions will need
+ * to handle this, and recall the function until a successful error code is
+ * returned.
+ */
+int
+xfs_attr_remove_iter(
 	struct xfs_da_args      *args)
 {
 	struct xfs_inode	*dp = args->dp;
 	int			error;
 
+	/* State machine switch */
+	switch (args->dac.dela_state) {
+	case XFS_DAS_RM_SHRINK:
+	case XFS_DAS_RM_NODE_BLKS:
+		goto node;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+
 	if (!xfs_inode_hasattr(dp)) {
 		error = -ENOATTR;
 	} else if (dp->i_d.di_aformat == XFS_DINODE_FMT_LOCAL) {
@@ -383,6 +432,7 @@ xfs_attr_remove_args(
 	} else if (xfs_bmap_one_block(dp, XFS_ATTR_FORK)) {
 		error = xfs_attr_leaf_removename(args);
 	} else {
+node:
 		error = xfs_attr_node_removename(args);
 	}
 
@@ -886,9 +936,8 @@ xfs_attr_leaf_removename(
 		/* bp is gone due to xfs_da_shrink_inode */
 		if (error)
 			return error;
-		error = xfs_defer_finish(&args->trans);
-		if (error)
-			return error;
+
+		args->dac.flags |= XFS_DAC_FINISH_TRANS;
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1232,6 +1281,42 @@ xfs_attr_init_unmapstate(
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Shrink an attribute from leaf to shortform
+ */
+STATIC int
+xfs_attr_node_shrink(
+	struct xfs_da_args	*args,
+	struct xfs_da_state     *state)
+{
+	struct xfs_inode	*dp = args->dp;
+	int			error, forkoff;
+	struct xfs_buf		*bp;
+
+	/*
+	 * Have to get rid of the copy of this dabuf in the state.
+	 */
+	ASSERT(state->path.active == 1);
+	ASSERT(state->path.blk[0].bp);
+	state->path.blk[0].bp = NULL;
+
+	error = xfs_attr3_leaf_read(args->trans, args->dp, 0, -1, &bp);
+	if (error)
+		return error;
+
+	forkoff = xfs_attr_shortform_allfit(bp, dp);
+	if (forkoff) {
+		error = xfs_attr3_leaf_to_shortform(bp, args, forkoff);
+		/* bp is gone due to xfs_da_shrink_inode */
+		if (error)
+			return error;
+
+		args->dac.flags |= XFS_DAC_FINISH_TRANS;
+	} else
+		xfs_trans_brelse(args->trans, bp);
+
+	return 0;
+}
 
 /*
  * Remove a name from a B-tree attribute list.
@@ -1239,6 +1324,11 @@ xfs_attr_init_unmapstate(
  * This will involve walking down the Btree, and may involve joining
  * leaf nodes and even joining intermediate nodes up to and including
  * the root node (a special case of an intermediate node).
+ *
+ * This routine is meant to function as either an inline or delayed operation,
+ * and may return -EAGAIN when the transaction needs to be rolled.  Calling
+ * functions will need to handle this, and recall the function until a
+ * successful error code is returned.
  */
 STATIC int
 xfs_attr_node_removename(
@@ -1246,15 +1336,28 @@ xfs_attr_node_removename(
 {
 	struct xfs_da_state	*state;
 	struct xfs_da_state_blk	*blk;
-	struct xfs_buf		*bp;
-	int			retval, error, forkoff;
+	int			retval, error;
 	struct xfs_inode	*dp = args->dp;
 
 	trace_xfs_attr_node_removename(args);
+	state = args->dac.da_state;
+	blk = args->dac.blk;
+
+	/* State machine switch */
+	switch (args->dac.dela_state) {
+	case XFS_DAS_RM_NODE_BLKS:
+		goto rm_node_blks;
+	case XFS_DAS_RM_SHRINK:
+		goto rm_shrink;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
 
 	error = xfs_attr_node_hasname(args, &state);
 	if (error != -EEXIST)
 		goto out;
+	else
+		error = 0;
 
 	/*
 	 * If there is an out-of-line value, de-allocate the blocks.
@@ -1264,18 +1367,36 @@ xfs_attr_node_removename(
 	blk = &state->path.blk[ state->path.active-1 ];
 	ASSERT(blk->bp != NULL);
 	ASSERT(blk->magic == XFS_ATTR_LEAF_MAGIC);
+
+	/*
+	 * Store blk and state in the context incase we need to cycle out the
+	 * transaction
+	 */
+	args->dac.blk = blk;
+	args->dac.da_state = state;
+
 	if (args->rmtblkno > 0) {
 		error = xfs_attr_init_unmapstate(args, state);
 		if (error)
 			goto out;
 
-		error = xfs_trans_roll_inode(&args->trans, args->dp);
+		error = xfs_attr_rmtval_invalidate(args);
 		if (error)
 			goto out;
+	}
 
-		error = xfs_attr_rmtval_remove(args);
-		if (error)
-			goto out;
+rm_node_blks:
+
+	args->dac.dela_state = XFS_DAS_RM_NODE_BLKS;
+
+	if (args->rmtblkno > 0) {
+		error = xfs_attr_rmtval_unmap(args);
+
+		if (error) {
+			if (error == -EAGAIN)
+				args->dac.dela_state = XFS_DAS_RM_NODE_BLKS;
+			return error;
+		}
 
 		/*
 		 * Refill the state structure with buffers, the prior calls
@@ -1301,45 +1422,20 @@ xfs_attr_node_removename(
 		error = xfs_da3_join(state);
 		if (error)
 			goto out;
-		error = xfs_defer_finish(&args->trans);
-		if (error)
-			goto out;
-		/*
-		 * Commit the Btree join operation and start a new trans.
-		 */
-		error = xfs_trans_roll_inode(&args->trans, dp);
-		if (error)
-			goto out;
+
+		args->dac.flags |= XFS_DAC_FINISH_TRANS;
+		args->dac.dela_state = XFS_DAS_RM_SHRINK;
+		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
+rm_shrink:
+	args->dac.dela_state = XFS_DAS_RM_SHRINK;
+
 	/*
 	 * If the result is small enough, push it all into the inode.
 	 */
-	if (xfs_bmap_one_block(dp, XFS_ATTR_FORK)) {
-		/*
-		 * Have to get rid of the copy of this dabuf in the state.
-		 */
-		ASSERT(state->path.active == 1);
-		ASSERT(state->path.blk[0].bp);
-		state->path.blk[0].bp = NULL;
-
-		error = xfs_attr3_leaf_read(args->trans, args->dp, 0, -1, &bp);
-		if (error)
-			goto out;
-
-		if ((forkoff = xfs_attr_shortform_allfit(bp, dp))) {
-			error = xfs_attr3_leaf_to_shortform(bp, args, forkoff);
-			/* bp is gone due to xfs_da_shrink_inode */
-			if (error)
-				goto out;
-			error = xfs_defer_finish(&args->trans);
-			if (error)
-				goto out;
-		} else
-			xfs_trans_brelse(args->trans, bp);
-	}
-	error = 0;
-
+	if (xfs_bmap_one_block(dp, XFS_ATTR_FORK))
+		error = xfs_attr_node_shrink(args, state);
 out:
 	if (state)
 		xfs_da_state_free(state);
diff --git a/libxfs/xfs_attr.h b/libxfs/xfs_attr.h
index 3b5dad4..f6ac571 100644
--- a/libxfs/xfs_attr.h
+++ b/libxfs/xfs_attr.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ int xfs_attr_set_args(struct xfs_da_args *args);
 int xfs_attr_remove(struct xfs_inode *dp, struct xfs_name *name, int flags);
 int xfs_has_attr(struct xfs_da_args *args);
 int xfs_attr_remove_args(struct xfs_da_args *args);
+int xfs_attr_remove_iter(struct xfs_da_args *args);
 int xfs_attr_list(struct xfs_inode *dp, char *buffer, int bufsize,
 		  int flags, struct attrlist_cursor_kern *cursor);
 bool xfs_attr_namecheck(const void *name, size_t length);
diff --git a/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h b/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h
index bed4f40..fe034d7 100644
--- a/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h
+++ b/libxfs/xfs_da_btree.h
@@ -43,9 +43,33 @@ enum xfs_dacmp {
 };
 
 /*
+ * Enum values for xfs_delattr_context.da_state
+ */
+enum xfs_delattr_state {
+	XFS_DAS_RM_SHRINK	= 1, /* We are shrinking the tree */
+	XFS_DAS_RM_NODE_BLKS	= 2, /* We are removing node blocks */
+};
+
+/*
+ * Defines for xfs_delattr_context.flags
+ */
+#define	XFS_DAC_FINISH_TRANS	0x1 /* indicates to finish the transaction */
+
+/*
+ * Context used for keeping track of delayed attribute operations
+ */
+struct xfs_delattr_context {
+	struct xfs_da_state	*da_state;
+	struct xfs_da_state_blk *blk;
+	int			flags;
+	enum xfs_delattr_state	dela_state;
+};
+
+/*
  * Structure to ease passing around component names.
  */
 typedef struct xfs_da_args {
+	struct xfs_delattr_context dac; /* context used for delay attr ops */
 	struct xfs_da_geometry *geo;	/* da block geometry */
 	struct xfs_name	name;		/* name, length and argument  flags*/
 	uint8_t		filetype;	/* filetype of inode for directories */
