diff --git a/lib/maple_tree.c b/lib/maple_tree.c
index 3174234d77cb..fe7f9e1f5bbb 100644
--- a/lib/maple_tree.c
+++ b/lib/maple_tree.c
@@ -5000,8 +5000,8 @@ static inline void mas_awalk(struct ma_state *mas, unsigned long size)
 	 * There are 4 options:
 	 * go to child (descend)
 	 * go back to parent (ascend)
-	 * no gap found. (return, slot == MAPLE_NODE_SLOTS)
-	 * found the gap. (return, slot != MAPLE_NODE_SLOTS)
+	 * no gap found. (return, error == -EBUSY)
+	 * found the gap. (return)
 	 */
 	while (!mas_is_err(mas) && !mas_anode_descend(mas, size)) {
 		if (last == mas->node)
@@ -5086,9 +5086,6 @@ int mas_empty_area(struct ma_state *mas, unsigned long min,
 		return xa_err(mas->node);
 
 	offset = mas->offset;
-	if (unlikely(offset == MAPLE_NODE_SLOTS))
-		return -EBUSY;
-
 	node = mas_mn(mas);
 	mt = mte_node_type(mas->node);
 	pivots = ma_pivots(node, mt);