diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/core/user_mad.c b/drivers/infiniband/core/user_mad.c
index 19104a675691..7ec1918431f7 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/core/user_mad.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/core/user_mad.c
@@ -379,6 +379,11 @@ static ssize_t ib_umad_read(struct file *filp, char __user *buf,
 
 	mutex_lock(&file->mutex);
 
+	if (file->agents_dead) {
+		mutex_unlock(&file->mutex);
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+
 	while (list_empty(&file->recv_list)) {
 		mutex_unlock(&file->mutex);
 
@@ -524,7 +529,7 @@ static ssize_t ib_umad_write(struct file *filp, const char __user *buf,
 
 	agent = __get_agent(file, packet->mad.hdr.id);
 	if (!agent) {
-		ret = -EINVAL;
+		ret = -EIO;
 		goto err_up;
 	}