diff --git a/net/smc/smc_cdc.c b/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
index 01bdb7909a14..3c06625ceb20 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
@@ -28,13 +28,15 @@ static void smc_cdc_tx_handler(struct smc_wr_tx_pend_priv *pnd_snd,
 {
 	struct smc_cdc_tx_pend *cdcpend = (struct smc_cdc_tx_pend *)pnd_snd;
 	struct smc_connection *conn = cdcpend->conn;
+	struct smc_buf_desc *sndbuf_desc;
 	struct smc_sock *smc;
 	int diff;
 
+	sndbuf_desc = conn->sndbuf_desc;
 	smc = container_of(conn, struct smc_sock, conn);
 	bh_lock_sock(&smc->sk);
-	if (!wc_status) {
-		diff = smc_curs_diff(cdcpend->conn->sndbuf_desc->len,
+	if (!wc_status && sndbuf_desc) {
+		diff = smc_curs_diff(sndbuf_desc->len,
 				     &cdcpend->conn->tx_curs_fin,
 				     &cdcpend->cursor);
 		/* sndbuf_space is decreased in smc_sendmsg */
@@ -114,9 +116,6 @@ int smc_cdc_msg_send(struct smc_connection *conn,
 	union smc_host_cursor cfed;
 	int rc;
 
-	if (unlikely(!READ_ONCE(conn->sndbuf_desc)))
-		return -ENOBUFS;
-
 	smc_cdc_add_pending_send(conn, pend);
 
 	conn->tx_cdc_seq++;