diff --git a/fs/btrfs/backref.c b/fs/btrfs/backref.c
index 553b4f6ec863..7b56a5769d72 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/backref.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/backref.c
@@ -2548,13 +2548,6 @@ void btrfs_backref_cleanup_node(struct btrfs_backref_cache *cache,
 		list_del(&edge->list[UPPER]);
 		btrfs_backref_free_edge(cache, edge);
 
-		if (RB_EMPTY_NODE(&upper->rb_node)) {
-			BUG_ON(!list_empty(&node->upper));
-			btrfs_backref_drop_node(cache, node);
-			node = upper;
-			node->lowest = 1;
-			continue;
-		}
 		/*
 		 * Add the node to leaf node list if no other child block
 		 * cached.