diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/txn_interceptor_span_refresher.go b/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/txn_interceptor_span_refresher.go
index b76d1d18b8e2..3a265d2db019 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/txn_interceptor_span_refresher.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvclient/kvcoord/txn_interceptor_span_refresher.go
@@ -171,39 +171,43 @@ func (sr *txnSpanRefresher) SendLocked(
 			return nil, roachpb.NewError(err)
 		}
 		// Check whether we should condense the refresh spans.
-		maxBytes := MaxTxnRefreshSpansBytes.Get(&sr.st.SV)
-		if sr.refreshFootprint.bytes >= maxBytes {
-			condensedBefore := sr.refreshFootprint.condensed
-			condensedSufficient := sr.tryCondenseRefreshSpans(ctx, maxBytes)
-			if condensedSufficient {
-				log.VEventf(ctx, 2, "condensed refresh spans for txn %s to %d bytes",
-					br.Txn, sr.refreshFootprint.bytes)
-			} else {
-				// Condensing was not enough. Giving up on tracking reads. Refreshed
-				// will not be possible.
-				log.VEventf(ctx, 2, "condensed refresh spans didn't save enough memory. txn %s. "+
-					"refresh spans after condense: %d bytes",
-					br.Txn, sr.refreshFootprint.bytes)
-				sr.refreshInvalid = true
-				sr.refreshFootprint.clear()
-			}
-
-			if sr.refreshFootprint.condensed && !condensedBefore {
-				sr.refreshMemoryLimitExceeded.Inc(1)
-			}
-		}
+		sr.maybeCondenseRefreshSpans(ctx, br.Txn)
 	}
 	return br, nil
 }
 
-// tryCondenseRefreshSpans attempts to condense the refresh spans in order to
-// save memory. Returns true if we managed to condense them below maxBytes.
-func (sr *txnSpanRefresher) tryCondenseRefreshSpans(ctx context.Context, maxBytes int64) bool {
-	if sr.knobs.CondenseRefreshSpansFilter != nil && !sr.knobs.CondenseRefreshSpansFilter() {
-		return false
+// maybeCondenseRefreshSpans checks whether the refresh footprint exceeds the
+// maximum size (as determined by the MaxTxnRefreshSpansBytes cluster setting)
+// and attempts to condense it if so. If condensing is insufficient, then the
+// refresh is invalidated. It is assumed that the refresh is valid when this
+// method is called.
+func (sr *txnSpanRefresher) maybeCondenseRefreshSpans(
+	ctx context.Context, txn *roachpb.Transaction,
+) {
+	maxBytes := MaxTxnRefreshSpansBytes.Get(&sr.st.SV)
+	if sr.refreshFootprint.bytes >= maxBytes {
+		condensedBefore := sr.refreshFootprint.condensed
+		var condensedSufficient bool
+		if sr.knobs.CondenseRefreshSpansFilter == nil || sr.knobs.CondenseRefreshSpansFilter() {
+			sr.refreshFootprint.maybeCondense(ctx, sr.riGen, maxBytes)
+			condensedSufficient = sr.refreshFootprint.bytes < maxBytes
+		}
+		if condensedSufficient {
+			log.VEventf(ctx, 2, "condensed refresh spans for txn %s to %d bytes",
+				txn, sr.refreshFootprint.bytes)
+		} else {
+			// Condensing was not enough. Giving up on tracking reads. Refreshes
+			// will not be possible.
+			log.VEventf(ctx, 2, "condensed refresh spans didn't save enough memory. txn %s. "+
+				"refresh spans after condense: %d bytes",
+				txn, sr.refreshFootprint.bytes)
+			sr.refreshInvalid = true
+			sr.refreshFootprint.clear()
+		}
+		if sr.refreshFootprint.condensed && !condensedBefore {
+			sr.refreshMemoryLimitExceeded.Inc(1)
+		}
 	}
-	sr.refreshFootprint.maybeCondense(ctx, sr.riGen, maxBytes)
-	return sr.refreshFootprint.bytes < maxBytes
 }
 
 // sendLockedWithRefreshAttempts sends the batch through the wrapped sender. It
@@ -679,7 +683,8 @@ func (sr *txnSpanRefresher) importLeafFinalState(
 		sr.refreshFootprint.clear()
 	} else if !sr.refreshInvalid {
 		sr.refreshFootprint.insert(tfs.RefreshSpans...)
-		sr.refreshFootprint.maybeCondense(ctx, sr.riGen, MaxTxnRefreshSpansBytes.Get(&sr.st.SV))
+		// Check whether we should condense the refresh spans.
+		sr.maybeCondenseRefreshSpans(ctx, &tfs.Txn)
 	}
 }