diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm-x86-ops.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm-x86-ops.h
index 771d991562ca..83dc5086138b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm-x86-ops.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm-x86-ops.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ KVM_X86_OP_OPTIONAL_RET0(get_mt_mask)
 KVM_X86_OP_OPTIONAL_RET0(tdp_has_smep)
 KVM_X86_OP(load_mmu_pgd)
 KVM_X86_OP_OPTIONAL_RET0(set_external_spte)
-KVM_X86_OP_OPTIONAL_RET0(free_external_spt)
+KVM_X86_OP_OPTIONAL(free_external_spt)
 KVM_X86_OP(has_wbinvd_exit)
 KVM_X86_OP(get_l2_tsc_offset)
 KVM_X86_OP(get_l2_tsc_multiplier)
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
index dc5625950e5b..a2ae2d7ca00f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
@@ -1916,8 +1916,7 @@ struct kvm_x86_ops {
 				 u64 new_spte, enum pg_level level);
 
 	/* Update external page tables for page table about to be freed. */
-	int (*free_external_spt)(struct kvm *kvm, gfn_t gfn, enum pg_level level,
-				 void *external_spt);
+	void (*free_external_spt)(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp);
 
 
 	bool (*has_wbinvd_exit)(void);
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
index 72d323f2d0dc..74531e4bbee6 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
@@ -455,17 +455,8 @@ static void handle_removed_pt(struct kvm *kvm, tdp_ptep_t pt, bool shared)
 		handle_changed_spte(kvm, sp, gfn, old_spte, FROZEN_SPTE, level, shared);
 	}
 
-	if (is_mirror_sp(sp) &&
-	    WARN_ON(kvm_x86_call(free_external_spt)(kvm, base_gfn, sp->role.level,
-						    sp->external_spt))) {
-		/*
-		 * Failed to free page table page in mirror page table and
-		 * there is nothing to do further.
-		 * Intentionally leak the page to prevent the kernel from
-		 * accessing the encrypted page.
-		 */
-		sp->external_spt = NULL;
-	}
+	if (is_mirror_sp(sp))
+		kvm_x86_call(free_external_spt)(kvm, sp);
 
 	call_rcu(&sp->rcu_head, tdp_mmu_free_sp_rcu_callback);
 }
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c
index b1c273dfbe4c..b3185cd9c6d6 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c
@@ -1849,27 +1849,27 @@ static int tdx_sept_set_private_spte(struct kvm *kvm, gfn_t gfn, u64 old_spte,
 	return tdx_sept_map_leaf_spte(kvm, gfn, level, new_spte);
 }
 
-static int tdx_sept_free_private_spt(struct kvm *kvm, gfn_t gfn,
-				     enum pg_level level, void *private_spt)
+/*
+ * Handle changes for non-leaf SPTEs from present to non-present.
+ * Must be under exclusive mmu_lock and cannot fail.
+ */
+static void tdx_sept_free_private_spt(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp)
 {
-	struct kvm_tdx *kvm_tdx = to_kvm_tdx(kvm);
-
 	/*
-	 * free_external_spt() is only called after hkid is freed when TD is
-	 * tearing down.
 	 * KVM doesn't (yet) zap page table pages in mirror page table while
 	 * TD is active, though guest pages mapped in mirror page table could be
 	 * zapped during TD is active, e.g. for shared <-> private conversion
 	 * and slot move/deletion.
+	 *
+	 * In other words, KVM should only free mirror page tables after the
+	 * TD's hkid is freed, when the TD is being torn down.
+	 *
+	 * If the S-EPT PTE can't be removed for any reason, intentionally leak
+	 * the page to prevent the kernel from accessing the encrypted page.
 	 */
-	if (KVM_BUG_ON(is_hkid_assigned(kvm_tdx), kvm))
-		return -EIO;
-
-	/*
-	 * The HKID assigned to this TD was already freed and cache was
-	 * already flushed. We don't have to flush again.
-	 */
-	return tdx_reclaim_page(virt_to_page(private_spt));
+	if (KVM_BUG_ON(is_hkid_assigned(to_kvm_tdx(kvm)), kvm) ||
+	    tdx_reclaim_page(virt_to_page(sp->external_spt)))
+		sp->external_spt = NULL;
 }
 
 void tdx_deliver_interrupt(struct kvm_lapic *apic, int delivery_mode,