diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr_leaf.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr_leaf.c
index 6068fad9dc9e..82932b5c02fd 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr_leaf.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_attr_leaf.c
@@ -3042,7 +3042,14 @@ xfs_attr3_leaf_setflag(
 #endif
 	entry = &xfs_attr3_leaf_entryp(leaf)[args->index];
 
-	ASSERT((entry->flags & XFS_ATTR_INCOMPLETE) == 0);
+	if (entry->flags & XFS_ATTR_INCOMPLETE) {
+		if (!(args->op_flags & XFS_DA_OP_RECOVERY)) {
+			ASSERT(args->op_flags & XFS_DA_OP_RECOVERY);
+			return -EFSCORRUPTED;
+		}
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	entry->flags |= XFS_ATTR_INCOMPLETE;
 	xfs_trans_log_buf(args->trans, bp,
 			XFS_DA_LOGRANGE(leaf, entry, sizeof(*entry)));