diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
index 9e9f32f03bf4..9ec485980bf0 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
@@ -900,20 +900,16 @@ void nfs4_unhash_stid(struct nfs4_stid *s)
 }
 
 /**
- * nfs4_get_existing_delegation - Discover if this delegation already exists
+ * nfs4_delegation_exists - Discover if this delegation already exists
  * @clp:     a pointer to the nfs4_client we're granting a delegation to
  * @fp:      a pointer to the nfs4_file we're granting a delegation on
  *
  * Return:
- *      On success: NULL if an existing delegation was not found.
- *
- *      On error: -EAGAIN if one was previously granted to this nfs4_client
- *                 for this nfs4_file.
- *
+ *      On success: true iff an existing delegation is found
  */
 
-static int
-nfs4_get_existing_delegation(struct nfs4_client *clp, struct nfs4_file *fp)
+static bool
+nfs4_delegation_exists(struct nfs4_client *clp, struct nfs4_file *fp)
 {
 	struct nfs4_delegation *searchdp = NULL;
 	struct nfs4_client *searchclp = NULL;
@@ -946,15 +942,13 @@ nfs4_get_existing_delegation(struct nfs4_client *clp, struct nfs4_file *fp)
 static int
 hash_delegation_locked(struct nfs4_delegation *dp, struct nfs4_file *fp)
 {
-	int status;
 	struct nfs4_client *clp = dp->dl_stid.sc_client;
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&state_lock);
 	lockdep_assert_held(&fp->fi_lock);
 
-	status = nfs4_get_existing_delegation(clp, fp);
-	if (status)
-		return status;
+	if (nfs4_delegation_exists(clp, fp))
+		return -EAGAIN;
 	++fp->fi_delegees;
 	refcount_inc(&dp->dl_stid.sc_count);
 	dp->dl_stid.sc_type = NFS4_DELEG_STID;
@@ -4391,7 +4385,7 @@ static struct nfs4_delegation *
 nfs4_set_delegation(struct nfs4_client *clp, struct svc_fh *fh,
 		    struct nfs4_file *fp, struct nfs4_clnt_odstate *odstate)
 {
-	int status;
+	int status = 0;
 	struct nfs4_delegation *dp;
 
 	if (fp->fi_had_conflict)
@@ -4399,7 +4393,8 @@ nfs4_set_delegation(struct nfs4_client *clp, struct svc_fh *fh,
 
 	spin_lock(&state_lock);
 	spin_lock(&fp->fi_lock);
-	status = nfs4_get_existing_delegation(clp, fp);
+	if (nfs4_delegation_exists(clp, fp))
+		status = -EAGAIN;
 	spin_unlock(&fp->fi_lock);
 	spin_unlock(&state_lock);