diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index 181647982490..04aedd957543 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -1148,13 +1148,13 @@ struct smc_link *smc_switch_conns(struct smc_link_group *lgr,
 		read_unlock_bh(&lgr->conns_lock);
 		/* pre-fetch buffer outside of send_lock, might sleep */
 		rc = smc_cdc_get_free_slot(conn, to_lnk, &wr_buf, NULL, &pend);
-		if (rc)
-			goto err_out;
-		/* avoid race with smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty() */
-		spin_lock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
-		smc_switch_link_and_count(conn, to_lnk);
-		rc = smc_switch_cursor(smc, pend, wr_buf);
-		spin_unlock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
+		if (!rc) {
+			/* avoid race with smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty() */
+			spin_lock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
+			smc_switch_link_and_count(conn, to_lnk);
+			rc = smc_switch_cursor(smc, pend, wr_buf);
+			spin_unlock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
+		}
 		sock_put(&smc->sk);
 		if (rc)
 			goto err_out;