diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_ao.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_ao.c
index 2f69bcecae78..a56bb79e15e0 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_ao.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_ao.c
@@ -1747,6 +1747,10 @@ static int tcp_ao_delete_key(struct sock *sk, struct tcp_ao_info *ao_info,
 	 * them and we can just free all resources in RCU fashion.
 	 */
 	if (del_async) {
+		if (ao_info->current_key == key)
+			WRITE_ONCE(ao_info->current_key, NULL);
+		if (ao_info->rnext_key == key)
+			WRITE_ONCE(ao_info->rnext_key, NULL);
 		atomic_sub(tcp_ao_sizeof_key(key), &sk->sk_omem_alloc);
 		call_rcu(&key->rcu, tcp_ao_key_free_rcu);
 		return 0;