diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
index c6909716b041..89501e8bd2f8 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ xfs_defer_add_barrier(
 	if (dfp)
 		return;
 
-	xfs_defer_alloc(&tp->t_dfops, &xfs_barrier_defer_type);
+	dfp = xfs_defer_alloc(&tp->t_dfops, &xfs_barrier_defer_type);
 
 	trace_xfs_defer_add_item(tp->t_mountp, dfp, NULL);
 }