diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_buf_item.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_buf_item.c
index 092d652bc03d..919057e0a45b 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_buf_item.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_buf_item.c
@@ -647,11 +647,7 @@ xfs_buf_item_unlock(
 			xfs_buf_item_relse(bp);
 		else if (aborted) {
 			ASSERT(XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(lip->li_mountp));
-			if (lip->li_flags & XFS_LI_IN_AIL) {
-				spin_lock(&lip->li_ailp->xa_lock);
-				xfs_trans_ail_delete(lip->li_ailp, lip,
-						     SHUTDOWN_LOG_IO_ERROR);
-			}
+			xfs_trans_ail_remove(lip, SHUTDOWN_LOG_IO_ERROR);
 			xfs_buf_item_relse(bp);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_dquot.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_dquot.c
index 4143dc75dca4..6964d7ceba96 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_dquot.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_dquot.c
@@ -954,12 +954,8 @@ xfs_qm_dqflush(
 		struct xfs_log_item	*lip = &dqp->q_logitem.qli_item;
 		dqp->dq_flags &= ~XFS_DQ_DIRTY;
 
-		spin_lock(&mp->m_ail->xa_lock);
-		if (lip->li_flags & XFS_LI_IN_AIL)
-			xfs_trans_ail_delete(mp->m_ail, lip,
-					     SHUTDOWN_CORRUPT_INCORE);
-		else
-			spin_unlock(&mp->m_ail->xa_lock);
+		xfs_trans_ail_remove(lip, SHUTDOWN_CORRUPT_INCORE);
+
 		error = -EIO;
 		goto out_unlock;
 	}
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c
index ce1d4fb39c4d..4aa0153214f9 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c
@@ -286,20 +286,8 @@ void
 xfs_efi_release(
 	struct xfs_efi_log_item	*efip)
 {
-	struct xfs_ail		*ailp = efip->efi_item.li_ailp;
-
 	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&efip->efi_refcount)) {
-		spin_lock(&ailp->xa_lock);
-		/*
-		 * We don't know whether the EFI made it to the AIL. Remove it
-		 * if so. Note that xfs_trans_ail_delete() drops the AIL lock.
-		 */
-		if (efip->efi_item.li_flags & XFS_LI_IN_AIL)
-			xfs_trans_ail_delete(ailp, &efip->efi_item,
-					     SHUTDOWN_LOG_IO_ERROR);
-		else
-			spin_unlock(&ailp->xa_lock);
-
+		xfs_trans_ail_remove(&efip->efi_item, SHUTDOWN_LOG_IO_ERROR);
 		xfs_efi_item_free(efip);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_inode_item.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_inode_item.c
index bf13a5a7e2f4..62bd80f4edd9 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_inode_item.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_inode_item.c
@@ -703,17 +703,10 @@ xfs_iflush_abort(
 	xfs_inode_log_item_t	*iip = ip->i_itemp;
 
 	if (iip) {
-		struct xfs_ail	*ailp = iip->ili_item.li_ailp;
 		if (iip->ili_item.li_flags & XFS_LI_IN_AIL) {
-			spin_lock(&ailp->xa_lock);
-			if (iip->ili_item.li_flags & XFS_LI_IN_AIL) {
-				/* xfs_trans_ail_delete() drops the AIL lock. */
-				xfs_trans_ail_delete(ailp, &iip->ili_item,
-						stale ?
-						     SHUTDOWN_LOG_IO_ERROR :
+			xfs_trans_ail_remove(&iip->ili_item,
+					     stale ? SHUTDOWN_LOG_IO_ERROR :
 						     SHUTDOWN_CORRUPT_INCORE);
-			} else
-				spin_unlock(&ailp->xa_lock);
 		}
 		iip->ili_logged = 0;
 		/*
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h
index 1b736294558a..49931b72da8a 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h
@@ -119,6 +119,21 @@ xfs_trans_ail_delete(
 	xfs_trans_ail_delete_bulk(ailp, &lip, 1, shutdown_type);
 }
 
+static inline void
+xfs_trans_ail_remove(
+	struct xfs_log_item	*lip,
+	int			shutdown_type)
+{
+	struct xfs_ail		*ailp = lip->li_ailp;
+
+	spin_lock(&ailp->xa_lock);
+	/* xfs_trans_ail_delete() drops the AIL lock */
+	if (lip->li_flags & XFS_LI_IN_AIL)
+		xfs_trans_ail_delete(ailp, lip, shutdown_type);
+	else
+		spin_unlock(&ailp->xa_lock);
+}
+
 void			xfs_ail_push(struct xfs_ail *, xfs_lsn_t);
 void			xfs_ail_push_all(struct xfs_ail *);
 void			xfs_ail_push_all_sync(struct xfs_ail *);