diff --git a/lib/services/local/presence.go b/lib/services/local/presence.go
index fb3e9a3ad27c2..0632d260457e5 100644
--- a/lib/services/local/presence.go
+++ b/lib/services/local/presence.go
@@ -248,37 +248,19 @@ func (s *PresenceService) UpsertNode(ctx context.Context, server types.Server) (
 	if n := server.GetNamespace(); n != apidefaults.Namespace {
 		return nil, trace.BadParameter("cannot place node in namespace %q, custom namespaces are deprecated", n)
 	}
-
 	value, err := services.MarshalServer(server)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, trace.Wrap(err)
 	}
-
-	key := backend.Key(nodesPrefix, server.GetNamespace(), server.GetName())
-
-	item := backend.Item{
-		Key:     key,
+	lease, err := s.Put(ctx, backend.Item{
+		Key:     backend.Key(nodesPrefix, server.GetNamespace(), server.GetName()),
 		Value:   value,
 		Expires: server.Expiry(),
 		ID:      server.GetResourceID(),
-	}
-
-	prevItem, err := s.Get(ctx, key)
-	if err != nil && !trace.IsNotFound(err) {
-		return nil, trace.Wrap(err)
-	}
-
-	var lease *backend.Lease
-	if err == nil {
-		lease, err = s.CompareAndSwap(ctx, *prevItem, item)
-	} else {
-		lease, err = s.Create(ctx, item)
-	}
-
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, trace.Wrap(err)
 	}
-
 	if server.Expiry().IsZero() {
 		return &types.KeepAlive{}, nil
 	}