diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ctree.h b/fs/btrfs/ctree.h
index 03be51d773576a5d682aa9fc4823e9e1a4bfb232..ffa72ca5755d38d0f29a94417c65497173b82dd8 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ctree.h
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ctree.h
@@ -954,9 +954,9 @@ struct btrfs_fs_info {
 	struct btrfs_fs_devices *fs_devices;
 
 	/*
-	 * the space_info list is almost entirely read only.  It only changes
-	 * when we add a new raid type to the FS, and that happens
-	 * very rarely.  RCU is used to protect it.
+	 * The space_info list is effectively read only after initial
+	 * setup.  It is populated at mount time and cleaned up after
+	 * all block groups are removed.  RCU is used to protect it.
 	 */
 	struct list_head space_info;
 
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c b/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c
index 1b54d9a9d938b5d9da284996453c4d3f5364be2c..e10f74dac493701293afcf0b981c4b56eae64cba 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c
@@ -4606,11 +4606,7 @@ static int do_chunk_alloc(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 		return -ENOSPC;
 
 	space_info = __find_space_info(fs_info, flags);
-	if (!space_info) {
-		ret = create_space_info(fs_info, flags, &space_info);
-		if (ret)
-			return ret;
-	}
+	ASSERT(space_info);
 
 again:
 	spin_lock(&space_info->lock);
@@ -10265,15 +10261,7 @@ int btrfs_make_block_group(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 	 * with its ->space_info set.
 	 */
 	cache->space_info = __find_space_info(fs_info, cache->flags);
-	if (!cache->space_info) {
-		ret = create_space_info(fs_info, cache->flags,
-				       &cache->space_info);
-		if (ret) {
-			btrfs_remove_free_space_cache(cache);
-			btrfs_put_block_group(cache);
-			return ret;
-		}
-	}
+	ASSERT(cache->space_info);
 
 	ret = btrfs_add_block_group_cache(fs_info, cache);
 	if (ret) {