diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/sev.c b/arch/x86/kernel/sev.c
index 4fa111becc93..82bced88153b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/sev.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/sev.c
@@ -203,8 +203,18 @@ static __always_inline struct ghcb *sev_es_get_ghcb(struct ghcb_state *state)
 	if (unlikely(data->ghcb_active)) {
 		/* GHCB is already in use - save its contents */
 
-		if (unlikely(data->backup_ghcb_active))
-			return NULL;
+		if (unlikely(data->backup_ghcb_active)) {
+			/*
+			 * Backup-GHCB is also already in use. There is no way
+			 * to continue here so just kill the machine. To make
+			 * panic() work, mark GHCBs inactive so that messages
+			 * can be printed out.
+			 */
+			data->ghcb_active        = false;
+			data->backup_ghcb_active = false;
+
+			panic("Unable to handle #VC exception! GHCB and Backup GHCB are already in use");
+		}
 
 		/* Mark backup_ghcb active before writing to it */
 		data->backup_ghcb_active = true;
@@ -1289,7 +1299,6 @@ static __always_inline bool on_vc_fallback_stack(struct pt_regs *regs)
  */
 DEFINE_IDTENTRY_VC_SAFE_STACK(exc_vmm_communication)
 {
-	struct sev_es_runtime_data *data = this_cpu_read(runtime_data);
 	irqentry_state_t irq_state;
 	struct ghcb_state state;
 	struct es_em_ctxt ctxt;
@@ -1315,16 +1324,6 @@ DEFINE_IDTENTRY_VC_SAFE_STACK(exc_vmm_communication)
 	 */
 
 	ghcb = sev_es_get_ghcb(&state);
-	if (!ghcb) {
-		/*
-		 * Mark GHCBs inactive so that panic() is able to print the
-		 * message.
-		 */
-		data->ghcb_active        = false;
-		data->backup_ghcb_active = false;
-
-		panic("Unable to handle #VC exception! GHCB and Backup GHCB are already in use");
-	}
 
 	vc_ghcb_invalidate(ghcb);
 	result = vc_init_em_ctxt(&ctxt, regs, error_code);