diff --git a/grpclb_remote_balancer.go b/grpclb_remote_balancer.go
index 11305e833d79..950222a7eb75 100644
--- a/grpclb_remote_balancer.go
+++ b/grpclb_remote_balancer.go
@@ -176,13 +176,13 @@ func (lb *lbBalancer) sendLoadReport(s *balanceLoadClientStream, interval time.D
 	}
 }
 
-func (lb *lbBalancer) callRemoteBalancer() (_ error, backoff bool) {
+func (lb *lbBalancer) callRemoteBalancer() (backoff bool, _ error) {
 	lbClient := &loadBalancerClient{cc: lb.ccRemoteLB}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer cancel()
 	stream, err := lbClient.BalanceLoad(ctx, FailFast(false))
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("grpclb: failed to perform RPC to the remote balancer %v", err), true
+		return true, fmt.Errorf("grpclb: failed to perform RPC to the remote balancer %v", err)
 	}
 
 	// grpclb handshake on the stream.
@@ -194,18 +194,18 @@ func (lb *lbBalancer) callRemoteBalancer() (_ error, backoff bool) {
 		},
 	}
 	if err := stream.Send(initReq); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("grpclb: failed to send init request: %v", err), true
+		return true, fmt.Errorf("grpclb: failed to send init request: %v", err)
 	}
 	reply, err := stream.Recv()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("grpclb: failed to recv init response: %v", err), true
+		return true, fmt.Errorf("grpclb: failed to recv init response: %v", err)
 	}
 	initResp := reply.GetInitialResponse()
 	if initResp == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("grpclb: reply from remote balancer did not include initial response"), true
+		return true, fmt.Errorf("grpclb: reply from remote balancer did not include initial response")
 	}
 	if initResp.LoadBalancerDelegate != "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("grpclb: Delegation is not supported"), true
+		return true, fmt.Errorf("grpclb: Delegation is not supported")
 	}
 
 	go func() {
@@ -214,13 +214,13 @@ func (lb *lbBalancer) callRemoteBalancer() (_ error, backoff bool) {
 		}
 	}()
 	// No backoff if init req/resp handshake was successful.
-	return lb.readServerList(stream), false
+	return false, lb.readServerList(stream)
 }
 
 func (lb *lbBalancer) watchRemoteBalancer() {
 	var retryCount int
 	for {
-		err, doBackoff := lb.callRemoteBalancer()
+		doBackoff, err := lb.callRemoteBalancer()
 		select {
 		case <-lb.doneCh:
 			return