diff --git a/net/appletalk/ddp.c b/net/appletalk/ddp.c
index 36a67e62710c..4bb3561b0367 100644
--- a/net/appletalk/ddp.c
+++ b/net/appletalk/ddp.c
@@ -1810,15 +1810,14 @@ static int atalk_ioctl(struct socket *sock, unsigned int cmd, unsigned long arg)
 		break;
 	}
 	case TIOCINQ: {
-		/*
-		 * These two are safe on a single CPU system as only
-		 * user tasks fiddle here
-		 */
-		struct sk_buff *skb = skb_peek(&sk->sk_receive_queue);
+		struct sk_buff *skb;
 		long amount = 0;
 
+		spin_lock_irq(&sk->sk_receive_queue.lock);
+		skb = skb_peek(&sk->sk_receive_queue);
 		if (skb)
 			amount = skb->len - sizeof(struct ddpehdr);
+		spin_unlock_irq(&sk->sk_receive_queue.lock);
 		rc = put_user(amount, (int __user *)argp);
 		break;
 	}