diff --git a/net/smc/af_smc.c b/net/smc/af_smc.c
index 00403175b740..cff910cedbfc 100644
--- a/net/smc/af_smc.c
+++ b/net/smc/af_smc.c
@@ -3233,7 +3233,8 @@ int smc_ioctl(struct socket *sock, unsigned int cmd,
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 		if (smc->sk.sk_state == SMC_INIT ||
-		    smc->sk.sk_state == SMC_CLOSED)
+		    smc->sk.sk_state == SMC_CLOSED ||
+		    !READ_ONCE(smc->conn.sndbuf_desc))
 			answ = 0;
 		else
 			answ = smc->conn.sndbuf_desc->len -
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index b4208cb186c5..181647982490 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -1209,14 +1209,16 @@ static void smcd_buf_detach(struct smc_connection *conn)
 {
 	struct smcd_dev *smcd = conn->lgr->smcd;
 	u64 peer_token = conn->peer_token;
+	struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc;
 
 	if (!conn->sndbuf_desc)
 		return;
 
 	smc_ism_detach_dmb(smcd, peer_token);
 
-	kfree(conn->sndbuf_desc);
+	buf_desc = conn->sndbuf_desc;
 	conn->sndbuf_desc = NULL;
+	kfree(buf_desc);
 }
 
 static void smc_buf_unuse(struct smc_connection *conn,
@@ -1268,11 +1270,10 @@ void smc_conn_free(struct smc_connection *conn)
 		goto lgr_put;
 
 	if (lgr->is_smcd) {
-		if (!list_empty(&lgr->list))
-			smc_ism_unset_conn(conn);
+		smc_ism_unset_conn(conn);
+		tasklet_kill(&conn->rx_tsklet);
 		if (smc_ism_support_dmb_nocopy(lgr->smcd))
 			smcd_buf_detach(conn);
-		tasklet_kill(&conn->rx_tsklet);
 	} else {
 		smc_cdc_wait_pend_tx_wr(conn);
 		if (current_work() != &conn->abort_work)
@@ -1525,12 +1526,12 @@ static void smc_conn_kill(struct smc_connection *conn, bool soft)
 	smc_sk_wake_ups(smc);
 	if (conn->lgr->is_smcd) {
 		smc_ism_unset_conn(conn);
-		if (smc_ism_support_dmb_nocopy(conn->lgr->smcd))
-			smcd_buf_detach(conn);
 		if (soft)
 			tasklet_kill(&conn->rx_tsklet);
 		else
 			tasklet_unlock_wait(&conn->rx_tsklet);
+		if (smc_ism_support_dmb_nocopy(conn->lgr->smcd))
+			smcd_buf_detach(conn);
 	} else {
 		smc_cdc_wait_pend_tx_wr(conn);
 	}
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_tx.h b/net/smc/smc_tx.h
index a59f370b8b43..610a945aefd6 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_tx.h
+++ b/net/smc/smc_tx.h
@@ -20,11 +20,15 @@
 
 static inline int smc_tx_prepared_sends(struct smc_connection *conn)
 {
+	struct smc_buf_desc *sndbuf_desc = READ_ONCE(conn->sndbuf_desc);
 	union smc_host_cursor sent, prep;
 
+	if (!sndbuf_desc)
+		return 0;
+
 	smc_curs_copy(&sent, &conn->tx_curs_sent, conn);
 	smc_curs_copy(&prep, &conn->tx_curs_prep, conn);
-	return smc_curs_diff(conn->sndbuf_desc->len, &sent, &prep);
+	return smc_curs_diff(sndbuf_desc->len, &sent, &prep);
 }
 
 void smc_tx_pending(struct smc_connection *conn);