diff --git a/libxfs/defer_item.c b/libxfs/defer_item.c
index be2a9903701f..eec2c6c27bee 100644
--- a/libxfs/defer_item.c
+++ b/libxfs/defer_item.c
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ xfs_attr_finish_item(
 
 	switch (op) {
 	case XFS_ATTR_OP_FLAGS_SET:
-		error = xfs_attr_set_iter(dac, &dac->leaf_bp);
+		error = xfs_attr_set_iter(dac);
 		break;
 	case XFS_ATTR_OP_FLAGS_REMOVE:
 		ASSERT(XFS_IFORK_Q(args->dp));
diff --git a/libxfs/xfs_attr.c b/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
index 4550e0278d06..3d9164fa9a2b 100644
--- a/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
+++ b/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
@@ -241,64 +241,9 @@ xfs_attr_is_shortform(
 		ip->i_afp->if_nextents == 0);
 }
 
-/*
- * Checks to see if a delayed attribute transaction should be rolled.  If so,
- * transaction is finished or rolled as needed.
- */
-STATIC int
-xfs_attr_trans_roll(
-	struct xfs_delattr_context	*dac)
-{
-	struct xfs_da_args		*args = dac->da_args;
-	int				error;
-
-	if (dac->flags & XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH) {
-		/*
-		 * The caller wants us to finish all the deferred ops so that we
-		 * avoid pinning the log tail with a large number of deferred
-		 * ops.
-		 */
-		dac->flags &= ~XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
-		error = xfs_defer_finish(&args->trans);
-	} else
-		error = xfs_trans_roll_inode(&args->trans, args->dp);
-
-	return error;
-}
-
-/*
- * Set the attribute specified in @args.
- */
-int
-xfs_attr_set_args(
-	struct xfs_da_args		*args)
-{
-	struct xfs_buf			*leaf_bp = NULL;
-	int				error = 0;
-	struct xfs_delattr_context	dac = {
-		.da_args	= args,
-	};
-
-	do {
-		error = xfs_attr_set_iter(&dac, &leaf_bp);
-		if (error != -EAGAIN)
-			break;
-
-		error = xfs_attr_trans_roll(&dac);
-		if (error) {
-			if (leaf_bp)
-				xfs_trans_brelse(args->trans, leaf_bp);
-			return error;
-		}
-	} while (true);
-
-	return error;
-}
-
 STATIC int
 xfs_attr_sf_addname(
-	struct xfs_delattr_context	*dac,
-	struct xfs_buf			**leaf_bp)
+	struct xfs_delattr_context	*dac)
 {
 	struct xfs_da_args		*args = dac->da_args;
 	struct xfs_inode		*dp = args->dp;
@@ -317,7 +262,7 @@ xfs_attr_sf_addname(
 	 * It won't fit in the shortform, transform to a leaf block.  GROT:
 	 * another possible req'mt for a double-split btree op.
 	 */
-	error = xfs_attr_shortform_to_leaf(args, leaf_bp);
+	error = xfs_attr_shortform_to_leaf(args, &dac->leaf_bp);
 	if (error)
 		return error;
 
@@ -326,7 +271,7 @@ xfs_attr_sf_addname(
 	 * push cannot grab the half-baked leaf buffer and run into problems
 	 * with the write verifier.
 	 */
-	xfs_trans_bhold(args->trans, *leaf_bp);
+	xfs_trans_bhold(args->trans, dac->leaf_bp);
 
 	/*
 	 * We're still in XFS_DAS_UNINIT state here.  We've converted
@@ -334,7 +279,6 @@ xfs_attr_sf_addname(
 	 * add.
 	 */
 	trace_xfs_attr_sf_addname_return(XFS_DAS_UNINIT, args->dp);
-	dac->flags |= XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
 	return -EAGAIN;
 }
 
@@ -347,8 +291,7 @@ xfs_attr_sf_addname(
  */
 int
 xfs_attr_set_iter(
-	struct xfs_delattr_context	*dac,
-	struct xfs_buf			**leaf_bp)
+	struct xfs_delattr_context	*dac)
 {
 	struct xfs_da_args              *args = dac->da_args;
 	struct xfs_inode		*dp = args->dp;
@@ -367,14 +310,14 @@ xfs_attr_set_iter(
 		 * release the hold once we return with a clean transaction.
 		 */
 		if (xfs_attr_is_shortform(dp))
-			return xfs_attr_sf_addname(dac, leaf_bp);
-		if (*leaf_bp != NULL) {
-			xfs_trans_bhold_release(args->trans, *leaf_bp);
-			*leaf_bp = NULL;
+			return xfs_attr_sf_addname(dac);
+		if (dac->leaf_bp != NULL) {
+			xfs_trans_bhold_release(args->trans, dac->leaf_bp);
+			dac->leaf_bp = NULL;
 		}
 
 		if (xfs_attr_is_leaf(dp)) {
-			error = xfs_attr_leaf_try_add(args, *leaf_bp);
+			error = xfs_attr_leaf_try_add(args, dac->leaf_bp);
 			if (error == -ENOSPC) {
 				error = xfs_attr3_leaf_to_node(args);
 				if (error)
@@ -393,7 +336,6 @@ xfs_attr_set_iter(
 				 * be a node, so we'll fall down into the node
 				 * handling code below
 				 */
-				dac->flags |= XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
 				trace_xfs_attr_set_iter_return(
 					dac->dela_state, args->dp);
 				return -EAGAIN;
@@ -684,32 +626,6 @@ xfs_attr_lookup(
 	return xfs_attr_node_hasname(args, NULL);
 }
 
-/*
- * Remove the attribute specified in @args.
- */
-int
-xfs_attr_remove_args(
-	struct xfs_da_args	*args)
-{
-	int				error;
-	struct xfs_delattr_context	dac = {
-		.da_args	= args,
-	};
-
-	do {
-		error = xfs_attr_remove_iter(&dac);
-		if (error != -EAGAIN)
-			break;
-
-		error = xfs_attr_trans_roll(&dac);
-		if (error)
-			return error;
-
-	} while (true);
-
-	return error;
-}
-
 /*
  * Note: If args->value is NULL the attribute will be removed, just like the
  * Linux ->setattr API.
@@ -1269,7 +1185,6 @@ xfs_attr_node_addname(
 			 * this. dela_state is still unset by this function at
 			 * this point.
 			 */
-			dac->flags |= XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
 			trace_xfs_attr_node_addname_return(
 					dac->dela_state, args->dp);
 			return -EAGAIN;
@@ -1284,7 +1199,6 @@ xfs_attr_node_addname(
 		error = xfs_da3_split(state);
 		if (error)
 			goto out;
-		dac->flags |= XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
 	} else {
 		/*
 		 * Addition succeeded, update Btree hashvals.
@@ -1538,7 +1452,6 @@ xfs_attr_remove_iter(
 			if (error)
 				goto out;
 			dac->dela_state = XFS_DAS_RM_NAME;
-			dac->flags |= XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
 			trace_xfs_attr_remove_iter_return(dac->dela_state, args->dp);
 			return -EAGAIN;
 		}
@@ -1566,7 +1479,6 @@ xfs_attr_remove_iter(
 			if (error)
 				goto out;
 
-			dac->flags |= XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
 			dac->dela_state = XFS_DAS_RM_SHRINK;
 			trace_xfs_attr_remove_iter_return(
 					dac->dela_state, args->dp);
diff --git a/libxfs/xfs_attr.h b/libxfs/xfs_attr.h
index 8eb1da085a13..977434f343a1 100644
--- a/libxfs/xfs_attr.h
+++ b/libxfs/xfs_attr.h
@@ -457,8 +457,7 @@ enum xfs_delattr_state {
 /*
  * Defines for xfs_delattr_context.flags
  */
-#define XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH		0x01 /* finish the transaction */
-#define XFS_DAC_LEAF_ADDNAME_INIT	0x02 /* xfs_attr_leaf_addname init*/
+#define XFS_DAC_LEAF_ADDNAME_INIT	0x01 /* xfs_attr_leaf_addname init*/
 
 /*
  * Context used for keeping track of delayed attribute operations
@@ -516,10 +515,7 @@ bool xfs_attr_is_leaf(struct xfs_inode *ip);
 int xfs_attr_get_ilocked(struct xfs_da_args *args);
 int xfs_attr_get(struct xfs_da_args *args);
 int xfs_attr_set(struct xfs_da_args *args);
-int xfs_attr_set_args(struct xfs_da_args *args);
-int xfs_attr_set_iter(struct xfs_delattr_context *dac,
-		      struct xfs_buf **leaf_bp);
-int xfs_attr_remove_args(struct xfs_da_args *args);
+int xfs_attr_set_iter(struct xfs_delattr_context *dac);
 int xfs_attr_remove_iter(struct xfs_delattr_context *dac);
 bool xfs_attr_namecheck(const void *name, size_t length);
 void xfs_delattr_context_init(struct xfs_delattr_context *dac,
diff --git a/libxfs/xfs_attr_remote.c b/libxfs/xfs_attr_remote.c
index afa932904602..5dc93c3b26d4 100644
--- a/libxfs/xfs_attr_remote.c
+++ b/libxfs/xfs_attr_remote.c
@@ -694,7 +694,6 @@ xfs_attr_rmtval_remove(
 	 * the parent
 	 */
 	if (!done) {
-		dac->flags |= XFS_DAC_DEFER_FINISH;
 		trace_xfs_attr_rmtval_remove_return(dac->dela_state, args->dp);
 		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
