diff --git a/src/lib/nfs/Connection.cxx b/src/lib/nfs/Connection.cxx
index ee888698a..1901d43f2 100644
--- a/src/lib/nfs/Connection.cxx
+++ b/src/lib/nfs/Connection.cxx
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ NfsConnection::CancellableCallback::CancelAndScheduleClose(struct nfsfh *fh,
 	assert(!open);
 	assert(close_fh == nullptr);
 	assert(!dispose_value);
-	assert(fh != nullptr);
 
 	close_fh = fh;
 	dispose_value = std::move(_dispose_value);
@@ -371,9 +370,12 @@ NfsConnection::Read(struct nfsfh *fh, uint64_t offset,
 }
 
 void
-NfsConnection::Cancel(NfsCallback &callback) noexcept
+NfsConnection::Cancel(NfsCallback &callback,
+		      struct nfsfh *fh,
+		      DisposablePointer dispose_value) noexcept
 {
-	callbacks.Cancel(callback);
+	CancellableCallback &cancel = callbacks.Get(callback);
+	cancel.CancelAndScheduleClose(fh, std::move(dispose_value));
 }
 
 static void
@@ -399,14 +401,6 @@ NfsConnection::Close(struct nfsfh *fh) noexcept
 	ScheduleSocket();
 }
 
-void
-NfsConnection::CancelAndClose(struct nfsfh *fh, DisposablePointer dispose_value,
-			      NfsCallback &callback) noexcept
-{
-	CancellableCallback &cancel = callbacks.Get(callback);
-	cancel.CancelAndScheduleClose(fh, std::move(dispose_value));
-}
-
 void
 NfsConnection::PrepareDestroyContext() noexcept
 {
diff --git a/src/lib/nfs/Connection.hxx b/src/lib/nfs/Connection.hxx
index c6afb3118..1e019eee8 100644
--- a/src/lib/nfs/Connection.hxx
+++ b/src/lib/nfs/Connection.hxx
@@ -232,8 +232,14 @@ public:
 	 * #NfsCallback.
 	 *
 	 * Not thread-safe.
+	 *
+	 * @param fh if not nullptr, then close this NFS file handle
+	 * after cancellation completes
+	 * @param dispose_value an arbitrary value that will be
+	 * disposed of after cancellation completes
 	 */
-	void Cancel(NfsCallback &callback) noexcept;
+	void Cancel(NfsCallback &callback,
+		    struct nfsfh *fh, DisposablePointer dispose_value) noexcept;
 
 	/**
 	 * Close the specified file handle asynchronously.
@@ -242,16 +248,6 @@ public:
 	 */
 	void Close(struct nfsfh *fh) noexcept;
 
-	/**
-	 * Like Cancel(), but also close the specified NFS file
-	 * handle.
-	 *
-	 * @param dispose_value an arbitrary value that will be
-	 * disposed of after cancellation completes
-	 */
-	void CancelAndClose(struct nfsfh *fh, DisposablePointer dispose_value,
-			    NfsCallback &callback) noexcept;
-
 protected:
 	virtual void OnNfsConnectionError(std::exception_ptr e) noexcept = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/lib/nfs/FileReader.cxx b/src/lib/nfs/FileReader.cxx
index 5982e1b3d..71bcc74c6 100644
--- a/src/lib/nfs/FileReader.cxx
+++ b/src/lib/nfs/FileReader.cxx
@@ -56,20 +56,20 @@ NfsFileReader::CancelOrClose() noexcept
 		/* no async operation in progress: can close
 		   immediately */
 		connection->Close(fh);
-	else if (state > State::OPEN)
+	else if (state > State::OPEN) {
 		/* one async operation in progress: cancel it and
 		   defer the nfs_close_async() call */
-		connection->CancelAndClose(fh,
+		DisposablePointer dispose_value{};
+
 #ifdef LIBNFS_API_2
-					   ToDeleteArray(read_buffer.release()),
-#else
-					   {},
+		dispose_value = ToDeleteArray(read_buffer.release());
 #endif
-					   *this);
-	else if (state > State::MOUNT)
+
+		connection->Cancel(*this, fh, std::move(dispose_value));
+	} else if (state > State::MOUNT)
 		/* we don't have a file handle yet - just cancel the
 		   async operation */
-		connection->Cancel(*this);
+		connection->Cancel(*this, nullptr, {});
 
 	state = State::INITIAL;
 }
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ void
 NfsFileReader::CancelRead() noexcept
 {
 	if (state == State::READ) {
-		connection->Cancel(*this);
+		connection->Cancel(*this, nullptr, {});
 		state = State::IDLE;
 	}
 }