diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_btree.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_btree.c
index 9f9f9feccbcd..98c82f4935e1 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_btree.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_btree.c
@@ -372,8 +372,14 @@ xfs_btree_del_cursor(
 			break;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If we are doing a BMBT update, the number of unaccounted blocks
+	 * allocated during this cursor life time should be zero. If it's not
+	 * zero, then we should be shut down or on our way to shutdown due to
+	 * cancelling a dirty transaction on error.
+	 */
 	ASSERT(cur->bc_btnum != XFS_BTNUM_BMAP || cur->bc_ino.allocated == 0 ||
-	       XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(cur->bc_mp));
+	       XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(cur->bc_mp) || error != 0);
 	if (unlikely(cur->bc_flags & XFS_BTREE_STAGING))
 		kmem_free(cur->bc_ops);
 	kmem_cache_free(xfs_btree_cur_zone, cur);