diff --git a/client/cs_statefile.C b/client/cs_statefile.C
index 503bb1e583..cc44d2ffba 100644
--- a/client/cs_statefile.C
+++ b/client/cs_statefile.C
@@ -498,120 +498,101 @@ int CLIENT_STATE::write_state_file() {
         miof.init_mfile(&mf);
         ret1 = write_state(miof);
         ret2 = mf.close();
+        if ((!ret1) && (!ret2)) break;
         if (ret1) {
             if ((attempt == MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) || log_flags.state_debug) {
                 msg_printf(NULL, MSG_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                     "Couldn't write state file: %s", boincerror(retval)
                 );
             }
-            if (attempt < MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) continue;
-            return ret1;
         }
-        if (ret2) {
-            if (attempt < MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) continue;
-            return ret2;
-        }
-        break;
     }
+    if (ret1) return ret1;
+    if (ret2) return ret2;
 
-    for (attempt=1; attempt<=MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS; attempt++) {
-        if (attempt > 1) boinc_sleep(1.0);
-
-        // only attempt to rename the current state file if it exists.
-        //
-        if (boinc_file_exists(STATE_FILE_NAME)) {
-            if (boinc_file_exists(STATE_FILE_PREV)) {
+    // only attempt to rename the current state file if it exists.
+    //
+    if (boinc_file_exists(STATE_FILE_NAME)) {
+        if (boinc_file_exists(STATE_FILE_PREV)) {
+            for (attempt=1; attempt<=MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS; attempt++) {
+                if (attempt > 1) boinc_sleep(1.0);
                 retval = boinc_delete_file(STATE_FILE_PREV);
-                if (retval) {
-                    if ((attempt == MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) || log_flags.state_debug) {
-#ifdef _WIN32
-                        msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
-                            "Can't delete previous state file; %s",
-                            windows_error_string(win_error_msg, sizeof(win_error_msg))
-                        );
-#else
-                        msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
-                            "Can't delete previous state file; error %d: %s",
-                            errno, strerror(errno)
-                        );
-#endif
-                    }
-                    if (attempt < MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) continue;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        break;
-    }
-
-    for (attempt=1; attempt<=MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS; attempt++) {
-        if (attempt > 1) boinc_sleep(1.0);
-
-        if (boinc_file_exists(STATE_FILE_NAME)) {
-            retval = boinc_rename(STATE_FILE_NAME, STATE_FILE_PREV);
-            if (retval) {
+                if (!retval) break;
                 if ((attempt == MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) || log_flags.state_debug) {
 #ifdef _WIN32
                     msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
-                        "Can't rename current state file to previous state file; %s",
+                        "Can't delete previous state file; %s",
                         windows_error_string(win_error_msg, sizeof(win_error_msg))
                     );
 #else
-                    msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR, 
-                        "rename current state file to previous state file returned error %d: %s", 
+                    msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
+                        "Can't delete previous state file; error %d: %s",
                         errno, strerror(errno)
                     );
 #endif
                 }
-                if (attempt < MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) continue;
             }
         }
-        break;
-    }
+
+        for (attempt=1; attempt<=MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS; attempt++) {
+            if (attempt > 1) boinc_sleep(1.0);
+            retval = boinc_rename(STATE_FILE_NAME, STATE_FILE_PREV);
+            if (!retval) break;
+            if ((attempt == MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) || log_flags.state_debug) {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+                msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
+                    "Can't rename current state file to previous state file; %s",
+                    windows_error_string(win_error_msg, sizeof(win_error_msg))
+                );
+#else
+                msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR, 
+                    "rename current state file to previous state file returned error %d: %s", 
+                    errno, strerror(errno)
+                );
+#endif
+            }
+        }
+     }
 
     for (attempt=1; attempt<=MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS; attempt++) {
         if (attempt > 1) boinc_sleep(1.0);
-
         retval = boinc_rename(STATE_FILE_NEXT, STATE_FILE_NAME);
         if (log_flags.state_debug) {
             msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO,
                 "[status_debug] CLIENT_STATE::write_state_file(): Done writing state file"
             );
         }
-        if (retval) {
-             if ((attempt == MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) || log_flags.state_debug) {
+        if (!retval) return 0;
+         if ((attempt == MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) || log_flags.state_debug) {
 #ifdef _WIN32
-                if (retval == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED) {
-                    msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
-                        "Can't rename state file; access denied; check file and directory permissions"
-                    );
-                } else {
-                    msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
-                        "Can't rename state file; %s",
-                        windows_error_string(win_error_msg, sizeof(win_error_msg))
-                    );
-                }
-#elif defined (__APPLE__)
-                msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR, 
-                    "Can't rename %s to %s; check file and directory permissions\n"
-                    "rename returned error %d: %s", 
-                    STATE_FILE_NEXT, STATE_FILE_NAME, errno, strerror(errno)
+            if (retval == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED) {
+                msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
+                    "Can't rename state file; access denied; check file and directory permissions"
+                );
+            } else {
+                msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
+                    "Can't rename state file; %s",
+                    windows_error_string(win_error_msg, sizeof(win_error_msg))
                 );
-                if (log_flags.state_debug) {
-                    system("ls -al /Library/Application\\ Support/BOINC\\ Data/client*.*");
-                }
-#else
-            msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
-                "Can't rename %s to %s; check file and directory permissions",
-                STATE_FILE_NEXT, STATE_FILE_NAME
-            );
-#endif
             }
-            if (attempt < MAX_STATE_FILE_WRITE_ATTEMPTS) continue;
-            return ERR_RENAME;
+#elif defined (__APPLE__)
+            msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR, 
+                "Can't rename %s to %s; check file and directory permissions\n"
+                "rename returned error %d: %s", 
+                STATE_FILE_NEXT, STATE_FILE_NAME, errno, strerror(errno)
+            );
+            if (log_flags.state_debug) {
+                system("ls -al /Library/Application\\ Support/BOINC\\ Data/client*.*");
+            }
+#else
+        msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
+            "Can't rename %s to %s; check file and directory permissions",
+            STATE_FILE_NEXT, STATE_FILE_NAME
+        );
+#endif
         }
-        break;
     }
-    return 0;
+    return ERR_RENAME;
 }
 
 int CLIENT_STATE::write_state(MIOFILE& f) {