diff --git a/pkg/cloud/userfile/filetable/file_table_read_writer.go b/pkg/cloud/userfile/filetable/file_table_read_writer.go
index 51533f14eb8e..bc6f037d2570 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/userfile/filetable/file_table_read_writer.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/userfile/filetable/file_table_read_writer.go
@@ -463,14 +463,19 @@ type payloadWriter struct {
 	payloadTableName        string
 }
 
-// WriteChunk inserts a single row into the Payload table as an operation in the
-// transaction txn.
-// TODO(janexing): can the insert happen with a nil txn?
-func (p *payloadWriter) WriteChunk(buf []byte, txn isql.Txn) (int, error) {
-	insertChunkQuery := fmt.Sprintf(`INSERT INTO %s VALUES ($1, $2, $3)`, p.payloadTableName)
-	_, err := txn.ExecEx(p.ctx, "insert-file-chunk", txn.KV(), p.execSessionDataOverride,
-		insertChunkQuery, p.fileID, p.byteOffset, buf)
-	if err != nil {
+// WriteChunkInTxn inserts a single row into the Payload table as an
+// operation in the transaction txn.
+//
+// TODO(janexing): Is it necessary to run the insert in a txn?
+func (p *payloadWriter) WriteChunkInTxn(buf []byte) (int, error) {
+	if err := p.ief.Txn(p.ctx, func(
+		ctx context.Context, txn isql.Txn,
+	) error {
+		insertChunkQuery := fmt.Sprintf(`INSERT INTO %s VALUES ($1, $2, $3)`, p.payloadTableName)
+		_, err := txn.ExecEx(p.ctx, "insert-file-chunk", txn.KV(), p.execSessionDataOverride,
+			insertChunkQuery, p.fileID, p.byteOffset, buf)
+		return err
+	}); err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 
@@ -574,18 +579,10 @@ func (w *chunkWriter) Write(buf []byte) (int, error) {
 		// If the buffer has been filled to capacity, write the chunk inside a txn
 		// retry loop.
 		if w.buf.Len() == w.buf.Cap() {
-			// TODO(janexing): Is it necessary to run the following within a txn?
-			if err := w.pw.ief.Txn(w.pw.ctx, func(
-				ctx context.Context, txn isql.Txn,
-			) error {
-				if n, err := w.pw.WriteChunk(w.buf.Bytes(), txn); err != nil {
-					return err
-				} else if n != w.buf.Len() {
-					return errors.Wrap(io.ErrShortWrite, "error when writing in chunkWriter")
-				}
-				return nil
-			}); err != nil {
+			if n, err := w.pw.WriteChunkInTxn(w.buf.Bytes()); err != nil {
 				return 0, err
+			} else if n != w.buf.Len() {
+				return n, errors.Wrap(io.ErrShortWrite, "error when writing in chunkWriter")
 			}
 			w.buf.Reset()
 		}
@@ -606,17 +603,10 @@ func (w *chunkWriter) Close() error {
 	// payloadWriter Write() method, then the txn is aborted and the error is
 	// propagated here.
 	if w.buf.Len() > 0 {
-		if err := w.pw.ief.Txn(w.pw.ctx, func(
-			ctx context.Context, txn isql.Txn,
-		) error {
-			if n, err := w.pw.WriteChunk(w.buf.Bytes(), txn); err != nil {
-				return err
-			} else if n != w.buf.Len() {
-				return errors.Wrap(io.ErrShortWrite, "error when closing chunkWriter")
-			}
-			return nil
-		}); err != nil {
+		if n, err := w.pw.WriteChunkInTxn(w.buf.Bytes()); err != nil {
 			return err
+		} else if n != w.buf.Len() {
+			return errors.Wrap(io.ErrShortWrite, "error when closing chunkWriter")
 		}
 	}