diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
index ec4061db7ffc..9976a00a73f9 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr.c
@@ -1072,8 +1072,7 @@ xfs_attr_shortform_addname(
 	if (xfs_attr_sf_findname(args)) {
 		int		error;
 
-		if (!(args->op_flags & XFS_DA_OP_REPLACE))
-			return -EEXIST;
+		ASSERT(args->op_flags & XFS_DA_OP_REPLACE);
 
 		error = xfs_attr_sf_removename(args);
 		if (error)
@@ -1087,8 +1086,7 @@ xfs_attr_shortform_addname(
 		 */
 		args->op_flags &= ~XFS_DA_OP_REPLACE;
 	} else {
-		if (args->op_flags & XFS_DA_OP_REPLACE)
-			return -ENOATTR;
+		ASSERT(!(args->op_flags & XFS_DA_OP_REPLACE));
 	}
 
 	if (args->namelen >= XFS_ATTR_SF_ENTSIZE_MAX ||