diff --git a/src/huggingface_hub/hf_api.py b/src/huggingface_hub/hf_api.py
index 0d5a18ebdd..963eceadb2 100644
--- a/src/huggingface_hub/hf_api.py
+++ b/src/huggingface_hub/hf_api.py
@@ -4446,36 +4446,28 @@ def preupload_lfs_files(
                 "(ignored by gitignore file)."
             )
 
-        # Check if the hf_xet library is installed
-        hf_xet_spec = importlib.util.find_spec("hf_xet")
-        if hf_xet_spec is None:
-            # Upload files as LFS files
-            _upload_lfs_files(
-                additions=new_lfs_additions_to_upload,
-                repo_type=repo_type,
-                repo_id=repo_id,
-                headers=headers,
-                endpoint=self.endpoint,
-                num_threads=num_threads,
-                # If `create_pr`, we don't want to check user permission on the revision as users with read permission
-                # should still be able to create PRs even if they don't have write permission on the target branch of the
-                # PR (i.e. `revision`).
-                revision=revision if not create_pr else None,
-            )
+        # Prepare upload parameters
+        upload_kwargs = {
+            "additions": new_lfs_additions_to_upload,
+            "repo_type": repo_type,
+            "repo_id": repo_id,
+            "headers": headers,
+            "endpoint": self.endpoint,
+            "num_threads": num_threads,
+            # If `create_pr`, we don't want to check user permission on the revision as users with read permission
+            # should still be able to create PRs even if they don't have write permission on the target branch of the
+            # PR (i.e. `revision`).
+            "revision": revision if not create_pr else None,
+        }
+
+        # Upload files using Xet protocol if the library is installed.
+        # Otherwise, default back to LFS.
+        if importlib.util.find_spec("hf_xet") is not None:
+            _upload_xet_files(**upload_kwargs)
         else:
-            # Upload files as XET files.
-            _upload_xet_files(
-                additions=new_lfs_additions_to_upload,
-                repo_type=repo_type,
-                repo_id=repo_id,
-                headers=headers,
-                endpoint=self.endpoint,
-                # If `create_pr`, we don't want to check user permission on the revision as users with read permission
-                # should still be able to create PRs even if they don't have write permission on the target branch of the
-                # PR (i.e. `revision`).
-                revision=revision if not create_pr else None,
-            )
+            _upload_lfs_files(**upload_kwargs, num_threads=num_threads)
 
+        # Free memory if requested.
         for addition in new_lfs_additions_to_upload:
             addition._is_uploaded = True
             if free_memory: