diff --git a/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-btree-remove.c b/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-btree-remove.c
index eff04fa23dfa..9e4d1212f4c1 100644
--- a/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-btree-remove.c
+++ b/drivers/md/persistent-data/dm-btree-remove.c
@@ -549,7 +549,8 @@ int dm_btree_remove(struct dm_btree_info *info, dm_block_t root,
 		delete_at(n, index);
 	}
 
-	*new_root = shadow_root(&spine);
+	if (!r)
+		*new_root = shadow_root(&spine);
 	exit_shadow_spine(&spine);
 
 	return r;