diff --git a/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-space-map-metadata.c b/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-space-map-metadata.c
index 7e44005595c1..20557e2c60c6 100644
--- a/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-space-map-metadata.c
+++ b/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-space-map-metadata.c
@@ -775,16 +775,14 @@ int dm_sm_metadata_create(struct dm_space_map *sm,
 	memcpy(&smm->sm, &bootstrap_ops, sizeof(smm->sm));
 
 	r = sm_ll_new_metadata(&smm->ll, tm);
-	if (r)
-		return r;
-
-	if (nr_blocks > DM_SM_METADATA_MAX_BLOCKS)
-		nr_blocks = DM_SM_METADATA_MAX_BLOCKS;
-	r = sm_ll_extend(&smm->ll, nr_blocks);
-	if (r)
-		return r;
-
+	if (!r) {
+		if (nr_blocks > DM_SM_METADATA_MAX_BLOCKS)
+			nr_blocks = DM_SM_METADATA_MAX_BLOCKS;
+		r = sm_ll_extend(&smm->ll, nr_blocks);
+	}
 	memcpy(&smm->sm, &ops, sizeof(smm->sm));
+	if (r)
+		return r;
 
 	/*
 	 * Now we need to update the newly created data structures with the