if (space_left < nblocks) {
                        int chkpt = journal->j_checkpoint_transactions != NULL;
                        tid_t tid = 0;
+                       bool has_transaction = false;
 
-                       if (journal->j_committing_transaction)
+                       if (journal->j_committing_transaction) {
                                tid = journal->j_committing_transaction->t_tid;
+                               has_transaction = true;
+                       }
                        spin_unlock(&journal->j_list_lock);
                        write_unlock(&journal->j_state_lock);
                        if (chkpt) {
                                 * journal was aborted due to an error.
                                 */
                                ;
-                       } else if (tid) {
+                       } else if (has_transaction) {
                                /*
                                 * jbd2_journal_commit_transaction() may want
                                 * to take the checkpoint_mutex if JBD2_FLUSHED