diff --git a/kmod/src/trans.c b/kmod/src/trans.c
index 6ea4b5f8..5987646c 100644
--- a/kmod/src/trans.c
+++ b/kmod/src/trans.c
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ void scoutfs_trans_write_func(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct scoutfs_segment *seg;
 	bool advance = false;
 	int ret = 0;
-	int err;
 
 	scoutfs_bio_init_comp(&comp);
 	sbi->trans_task = current;
@@ -101,7 +100,6 @@ void scoutfs_trans_write_func(struct work_struct *work)
 	 * XXX this needs serious work to handle errors.
 	 */
 	while (scoutfs_item_dirty_bytes(sb)) {
-		advance = true;
 		seg = NULL;
 		ret = scoutfs_seg_alloc(sb, &seg) ?:
 		      scoutfs_item_dirty_seg(sb, seg) ?:
@@ -115,26 +113,21 @@ void scoutfs_trans_write_func(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 
 	if (scoutfs_manifest_has_dirty(sb) || scoutfs_alloc_has_dirty(sb)) {
-		advance = true;
 		ret = scoutfs_manifest_dirty_ring(sb) ?:
 		      scoutfs_alloc_dirty_ring(sb) ?:
-		      scoutfs_treap_submit_write(sb, &comp);
+		      scoutfs_treap_submit_write(sb, &comp) ?:
+		      scoutfs_bio_wait_comp(sb, &comp) ?:
+		      scoutfs_write_dirty_super(sb);
 		if (ret)
 			goto out;
+
+		advance = true;
 	}
 
 out:
-	err = scoutfs_bio_wait_comp(sb, &comp) ?:
-	      scoutfs_write_dirty_super(sb);
-	if (err && !ret)
-		ret = err;
-
 	/* XXX this all needs serious work for dealing with errors */
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(ret);
 
-	if (advance && ret)
-		advance = false;
-
 	spin_lock(&sbi->trans_write_lock);
 	if (advance)
 		scoutfs_advance_dirty_super(sb);