diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
index fecfd61f5de8..ef4f5972da5d 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "xfs_ag_resv.h"
 #include "xfs_bmap.h"
 #include "xfs_health.h"
+#include "xfs_extfree_item.h"
 
 struct kmem_cache	*xfs_extfree_item_cache;
 
@@ -2552,16 +2553,7 @@ xfs_defer_extent_free(
 		xefi->xefi_owner = XFS_RMAP_OWN_NULL;
 	}
 
-	trace_xfs_extent_free_defer(mp, xefi);
-
-	xfs_extent_free_get_group(mp, xefi);
-
-	if (xefi->xefi_agresv == XFS_AG_RESV_AGFL)
-		*dfpp = xfs_defer_add(tp, &xefi->xefi_list,
-				&xfs_agfl_free_defer_type);
-	else
-		*dfpp = xfs_defer_add(tp, &xefi->xefi_list,
-				&xfs_extent_free_defer_type);
+	xfs_extent_free_defer_add(tp, xefi, dfpp);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.h b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.h
index 7f51b3cb0349..fae170825be0 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.h
@@ -256,9 +256,6 @@ struct xfs_extent_free_item {
 	enum xfs_ag_resv_type	xefi_agresv;
 };
 
-void xfs_extent_free_get_group(struct xfs_mount *mp,
-		struct xfs_extent_free_item *xefi);
-
 #define XFS_EFI_SKIP_DISCARD	(1U << 0) /* don't issue discard */
 #define XFS_EFI_ATTR_FORK	(1U << 1) /* freeing attr fork block */
 #define XFS_EFI_BMBT_BLOCK	(1U << 2) /* freeing bmap btree block */
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c
index c755037a64d2..abffc74a924f 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.c
@@ -436,21 +436,24 @@ xfs_extent_free_create_done(
 	return &efdp->efd_item;
 }
 
-/* Take a passive ref to the AG containing the space we're freeing. */
+/* Add this deferred EFI to the transaction. */
 void
-xfs_extent_free_get_group(
-	struct xfs_mount		*mp,
-	struct xfs_extent_free_item	*xefi)
+xfs_extent_free_defer_add(
+	struct xfs_trans		*tp,
+	struct xfs_extent_free_item	*xefi,
+	struct xfs_defer_pending	**dfpp)
 {
-	xefi->xefi_pag = xfs_perag_intent_get(mp, xefi->xefi_startblock);
-}
+	struct xfs_mount		*mp = tp->t_mountp;
 
-/* Release a passive AG ref after some freeing work. */
-static inline void
-xfs_extent_free_put_group(
-	struct xfs_extent_free_item	*xefi)
-{
-	xfs_perag_intent_put(xefi->xefi_pag);
+	trace_xfs_extent_free_defer(mp, xefi);
+
+	xefi->xefi_pag = xfs_perag_intent_get(mp, xefi->xefi_startblock);
+	if (xefi->xefi_agresv == XFS_AG_RESV_AGFL)
+		*dfpp = xfs_defer_add(tp, &xefi->xefi_list,
+				&xfs_agfl_free_defer_type);
+	else
+		*dfpp = xfs_defer_add(tp, &xefi->xefi_list,
+				&xfs_extent_free_defer_type);
 }
 
 /* Cancel a free extent. */
@@ -460,7 +463,7 @@ xfs_extent_free_cancel_item(
 {
 	struct xfs_extent_free_item	*xefi = xefi_entry(item);
 
-	xfs_extent_free_put_group(xefi);
+	xfs_perag_intent_put(xefi->xefi_pag);
 	kmem_cache_free(xfs_extfree_item_cache, xefi);
 }
 
@@ -575,7 +578,7 @@ xfs_efi_recover_work(
 	xefi->xefi_blockcount = extp->ext_len;
 	xefi->xefi_agresv = XFS_AG_RESV_NONE;
 	xefi->xefi_owner = XFS_RMAP_OWN_UNKNOWN;
-	xfs_extent_free_get_group(mp, xefi);
+	xefi->xefi_pag = xfs_perag_intent_get(mp, extp->ext_start);
 
 	xfs_defer_add_item(dfp, &xefi->xefi_list);
 }
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.h b/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.h
index da6a5afa607c..41b7c4306079 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_extfree_item.h
@@ -88,4 +88,10 @@ xfs_efd_log_item_sizeof(
 extern struct kmem_cache	*xfs_efi_cache;
 extern struct kmem_cache	*xfs_efd_cache;
 
+struct xfs_extent_free_item;
+
+void xfs_extent_free_defer_add(struct xfs_trans *tp,
+		struct xfs_extent_free_item *xefi,
+		struct xfs_defer_pending **dfpp);
+
 #endif	/* __XFS_EXTFREE_ITEM_H__ */