diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/alloc.c b/fs/ocfs2/alloc.c
index f3dbd31..354817a 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/alloc.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/alloc.c
@@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@
 		goto out_mutex;
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_TRUNCATE_LOG_UPDATE);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_TRUNCATE_LOG_UPDATE);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		mlog_errno(status);
@@ -1365,8 +1365,7 @@
 			}
 		}
 
-		handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL,
-					   OCFS2_TRUNCATE_LOG_UPDATE);
+		handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_TRUNCATE_LOG_UPDATE);
 		if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 			status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 			mlog_errno(status);
@@ -1860,7 +1859,7 @@
 
 	credits = ocfs2_calc_tree_trunc_credits(osb->sb, clusters_to_del,
 						fe, el);
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, credits);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, credits);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/aops.c b/fs/ocfs2/aops.c
index c369399..fcdcdf6 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/aops.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/aops.c
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@
 	struct ocfs2_journal_handle *handle = NULL;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
 	if (!handle) {
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		mlog_errno(ret);
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/dir.c b/fs/ocfs2/dir.c
index 2bda5f3..036c891 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/dir.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/dir.c
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@
 		credits = OCFS2_SIMPLE_DIR_EXTEND_CREDITS;
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, credits);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, credits);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/file.c b/fs/ocfs2/file.c
index 9eb60f2..100754d 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/file.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/file.c
@@ -165,8 +165,7 @@
 	struct ocfs2_super *osb = OCFS2_SB(inode->i_sb);
 	struct ocfs2_journal_handle *handle = NULL;
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL,
-				   OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
 	if (handle == NULL) {
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		mlog_errno(ret);
@@ -196,7 +195,7 @@
 	/* TODO: This needs to actually orphan the inode in this
 	 * transaction. */
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		mlog_errno(status);
@@ -496,7 +495,7 @@
 	drop_alloc_sem = 1;
 
 	credits = ocfs2_calc_extend_credits(osb->sb, fe, clusters_to_add);
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, credits);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, credits);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -832,7 +831,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		mlog_errno(status);
@@ -905,7 +904,7 @@
 	mlog_entry("(Inode %llu, mode 0%o)\n",
 		   (unsigned long long)oi->ip_blkno, inode->i_mode);
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
 	if (handle == NULL) {
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		mlog_errno(ret);
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/inode.c b/fs/ocfs2/inode.c
index 7708c63..ac78877 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/inode.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/inode.c
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@
 	if (!fe->i_clusters)
 		goto bail;
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, handle, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@
 		goto bail;
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_DELETE_INODE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_DELETE_INODE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		mlog_errno(status);
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/ioctl.c b/fs/ocfs2/ioctl.c
index e927758..7527358 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/ioctl.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/ioctl.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 	if (!S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode))
 		flags &= ~OCFS2_DIRSYNC_FL;
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_INODE_UPDATE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		mlog_errno(status);
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/journal.c b/fs/ocfs2/journal.c
index 81fb917..6d9658b 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/journal.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/journal.c
@@ -129,20 +129,16 @@
  * you pass it a handle however, it may still return error, in which
  * case it has free'd the passed handle for you. */
 struct ocfs2_journal_handle *ocfs2_start_trans(struct ocfs2_super *osb,
-					       struct ocfs2_journal_handle *handle,
 					       int max_buffs)
 {
 	int ret;
 	journal_t *journal = osb->journal->j_journal;
-
-	mlog_entry("(max_buffs = %d)\n", max_buffs);
+	struct ocfs2_journal_handle *handle;
 
 	BUG_ON(!osb || !osb->journal->j_journal);
 
-	if (ocfs2_is_hard_readonly(osb)) {
-		ret = -EROFS;
-		goto done_free;
-	}
+	if (ocfs2_is_hard_readonly(osb))
+		return ERR_PTR(-EROFS);
 
 	BUG_ON(osb->journal->j_state == OCFS2_JOURNAL_FREE);
 	BUG_ON(max_buffs <= 0);
@@ -153,13 +149,11 @@
 		BUG();
 	}
 
-	if (!handle)
-		handle = ocfs2_alloc_handle(osb);
+	handle = ocfs2_alloc_handle(osb);
 	if (!handle) {
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		mlog(ML_ERROR, "Failed to allocate memory for journal "
-		     "handle!\n");
-		goto done_free;
+		mlog_errno(ret);
+		return ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}
 
 	down_read(&osb->journal->j_trans_barrier);
@@ -168,6 +162,7 @@
 	handle->k_handle = journal_start(journal, max_buffs);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle->k_handle)) {
 		up_read(&osb->journal->j_trans_barrier);
+		kfree(handle);
 
 		ret = PTR_ERR(handle->k_handle);
 		handle->k_handle = NULL;
@@ -177,20 +172,12 @@
 			ocfs2_abort(osb->sb, "Detected aborted journal");
 			ret = -EROFS;
 		}
-		goto done_free;
+		return ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}
 
 	atomic_inc(&(osb->journal->j_num_trans));
 
-	mlog_exit_ptr(handle);
 	return handle;
-
-done_free:
-	if (handle)
-		kfree(handle);
-
-	mlog_exit(ret);
-	return ERR_PTR(ret);
 }
 
 void ocfs2_commit_trans(struct ocfs2_super *osb,
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/journal.h b/fs/ocfs2/journal.h
index d96f61a..3c0d15c 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/journal.h
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/journal.h
@@ -216,7 +216,6 @@
  * perfectly legal to go through an entire transaction without having
  * dirtied any buffers. */
 struct ocfs2_journal_handle *ocfs2_start_trans(struct ocfs2_super *osb,
-					       struct ocfs2_journal_handle *handle,
 					       int max_buffs);
 void			     ocfs2_commit_trans(struct ocfs2_super *osb,
 						struct ocfs2_journal_handle *handle);
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/localalloc.c b/fs/ocfs2/localalloc.c
index 9dd208d..2ae567a 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/localalloc.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/localalloc.c
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
 	}
 
 	/* WINDOW_MOVE_CREDITS is a bit heavy... */
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_WINDOW_MOVE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_WINDOW_MOVE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		mlog_errno(PTR_ERR(handle));
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@
 		goto out_mutex;
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_WINDOW_MOVE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_WINDOW_MOVE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@
 		goto bail;
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_WINDOW_MOVE_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_WINDOW_MOVE_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/namei.c b/fs/ocfs2/namei.c
index 9a56bfd..d63ab7b 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/namei.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/namei.c
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_MKNOD_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_MKNOD_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@
 		goto out_unlock_inode;
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_LINK_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_LINK_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -886,7 +886,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_UNLINK_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_UNLINK_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -1284,7 +1284,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, OCFS2_RENAME_CREDITS);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, OCFS2_RENAME_CREDITS);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
@@ -1652,7 +1652,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, NULL, credits);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, credits);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/suballoc.c b/fs/ocfs2/suballoc.c
index ea63a519..186d2c3 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/suballoc.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/suballoc.c
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@
 
 	credits = ocfs2_calc_group_alloc_credits(osb->sb,
 						 le16_to_cpu(cl->cl_cpg));
-	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, handle, credits);
+	handle = ocfs2_start_trans(osb, credits);
 	if (IS_ERR(handle)) {
 		status = PTR_ERR(handle);
 		handle = NULL;