diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
index 5b377cbbb1f7..e8db2f6149e0 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ xfs_defer_can_append(
 
 	/* Paused items cannot absorb more work */
 	if (dfp->dfp_flags & XFS_DEFER_PAUSED)
-		return NULL;
+		return false;
 
 	/* Already full? */
 	if (ops->max_items && dfp->dfp_count >= ops->max_items)