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_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);