diff --git a/source3/smbd/trans2.c b/source3/smbd/trans2.c
index fb528eceeb6..73fa897b594 100644
--- a/source3/smbd/trans2.c
+++ b/source3/smbd/trans2.c
@@ -815,24 +815,11 @@ NTSTATUS set_ea(connection_struct *conn, files_struct *fsp,
 			}
 #endif
 		} else {
-			if (!fsp->fsp_flags.is_pathref &&
-			    fsp_get_io_fd(fsp) != -1)
-			{
-				DEBUG(10,("set_ea: setting ea name %s on file "
-					  "%s by file descriptor.\n",
-					  unix_ea_name, fsp_str_dbg(fsp)));
-				ret = SMB_VFS_FSETXATTR(fsp, unix_ea_name,
-							ea_list->ea.value.data, ea_list->ea.value.length, 0);
-			} else {
-				DEBUG(10,("set_ea: setting ea name %s on file %s.\n",
-					unix_ea_name, fsp->fsp_name->base_name));
-				ret = SMB_VFS_SETXATTR(conn,
-						fsp->fsp_name,
-						unix_ea_name,
-						ea_list->ea.value.data,
-						ea_list->ea.value.length,
-						0);
-			}
+			DEBUG(10,("set_ea: setting ea name %s on file "
+				  "%s by file descriptor.\n",
+				  unix_ea_name, fsp_str_dbg(fsp)));
+			ret = SMB_VFS_FSETXATTR(fsp, unix_ea_name,
+						ea_list->ea.value.data, ea_list->ea.value.length, 0);
 		}
 
 		if (ret == -1) {