diff --git a/libntfs/attrib.c b/libntfs/attrib.c
index 0ac4bd8f..1b9f89e5 100644
--- a/libntfs/attrib.c
+++ b/libntfs/attrib.c
@@ -3131,12 +3131,10 @@ add_attr_record:
 			(val && (ntfs_attr_pwrite(na, 0, size, val) != size))) {
 		err = errno;
 		ntfs_log_trace("Failed to initialize just added attribute.\n");
-		if (ntfs_attr_rm(na)) {
+		if (ntfs_attr_rm(na))
 			ntfs_log_trace("Failed to remove just added attribute. "
 					"Probably leaving inconsistent "
 					"metadata.\n");
-			ntfs_attr_close(na);
-		}
 		goto err_out;
 	}
 	ntfs_attr_close(na);
@@ -3168,7 +3166,8 @@ err_out:
  * @na:		opened ntfs attribute to delete
  *
  * Remove attribute and all it's extents from ntfs inode. If attribute was non
- * resident also free all clusters allocated by attribute.
+ * resident also free all clusters allocated by attribute. This function always 
+ * closes @na upon exit (both on success and failure).
  *
  * Return 0 on success or -1 on error with errno set to the error code.
  */
@@ -3188,8 +3187,10 @@ int ntfs_attr_rm(ntfs_attr *na)
 
 	/* Free cluster allocation. */
 	if (NAttrNonResident(na)) {
-		if (ntfs_attr_map_whole_runlist(na))
+		if (ntfs_attr_map_whole_runlist(na)) {
+			ntfs_attr_close(na);
 			return -1;
+		}
 		if (ntfs_cluster_free(na->ni->vol, na, 0, -1) < 0) {
 			ntfs_log_trace("Failed to free cluster allocation. "
 					"Leaving inconsistent metadata.\n");
@@ -3199,8 +3200,10 @@ int ntfs_attr_rm(ntfs_attr *na)
 
 	/* Search for attribute extents and remove them all. */
 	ctx = ntfs_attr_get_search_ctx(na->ni, NULL);
-	if (!ctx)
+	if (!ctx) {
+		ntfs_attr_close(na);
 		return -1;
+	}
 	while (!ntfs_attr_lookup(na->type, na->name, na->name_len,
 				CASE_SENSITIVE, 0, NULL, 0, ctx)) {
 		if (ntfs_attr_record_rm(ctx)) {
diff --git a/libntfs/dir.c b/libntfs/dir.c
index c6b562f1..2ef06ab6 100644
--- a/libntfs/dir.c
+++ b/libntfs/dir.c
@@ -1359,12 +1359,10 @@ err_out:
 			ntfs_log_perror("Failed to open SD (0x50) attribute of "
 					" inode 0x%llx. Run chkdsk.\n",
 					(unsigned long long)ni->mft_no);
-		else if (ntfs_attr_rm(na)) {
+		else if (ntfs_attr_rm(na))
 			ntfs_log_perror("Failed to remove SD (0x50) attribute "
 					"of inode 0x%llx. Run chkdsk.\n",
 					(unsigned long long)ni->mft_no);
-			ntfs_attr_close(na);
-		}
 	}
 	if (rollback_data) {
 		ntfs_attr *na;
diff --git a/ntfsprogs/ntfsmount.c b/ntfsprogs/ntfsmount.c
index b25bb6b9..17eccb41 100644
--- a/ntfsprogs/ntfsmount.c
+++ b/ntfsprogs/ntfsmount.c
@@ -981,10 +981,8 @@ static int ntfs_fuse_rm_stream(const char *path, ntfschar *stream_name,
 		res = -errno;
 		goto exit;
 	}
-	if (ntfs_attr_rm(na)) {
+	if (ntfs_attr_rm(na))
 		res = -errno;
-		ntfs_attr_close(na);
-	}
 exit:
 	if (ntfs_inode_close(ni))
 		ntfs_log_perror("Failed to close inode");
@@ -1322,7 +1320,6 @@ static int ntfs_fuse_removexattr(const char *path, const char *name)
 	ntfschar *lename = NULL;
 	int res = 0, lename_len;
 
-
 	if (ctx->streams != NF_STREAMS_INTERFACE_XATTR)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 	if (strncmp(name, nf_ns_xattr_preffix, nf_ns_xattr_preffix_len) ||
@@ -1347,8 +1344,7 @@ static int ntfs_fuse_removexattr(const char *path, const char *name)
 	ntfs_fuse_mark_free_space_outdated();
 	if (ntfs_attr_rm(na))
 		res = -errno;
-	else
-		na = NULL;
+	na = NULL;
 exit:
 	if (na)
 		ntfs_attr_close(na);