diff --git a/net/smc/smc_cdc.c b/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
index b1ce6ccbfaec8..3602829006dda 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
@@ -150,9 +150,11 @@ static int smcr_cdc_get_slot_and_msg_send(struct smc_connection *conn)
 
 again:
 	link = conn->lnk;
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_cdc_get_free_slot(conn, link, &wr_buf, NULL, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
 	if (link != conn->lnk) {
@@ -160,6 +162,7 @@ again:
 		spin_unlock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
 		smc_wr_tx_put_slot(link,
 				   (struct smc_wr_tx_pend_priv *)pend);
+		smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 		if (again)
 			return -ENOLINK;
 		again = true;
@@ -167,6 +170,8 @@ again:
 	}
 	rc = smc_cdc_msg_send(conn, wr_buf, pend);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index 3f1343dfa16ba..135949ef85b3c 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ struct smc_link *smc_switch_conns(struct smc_link_group *lgr,
 		to_lnk = &lgr->lnk[i];
 		break;
 	}
-	if (!to_lnk) {
+	if (!to_lnk || !smc_wr_tx_link_hold(to_lnk)) {
 		smc_lgr_terminate_sched(lgr);
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -582,24 +582,26 @@ again:
 		read_unlock_bh(&lgr->conns_lock);
 		/* pre-fetch buffer outside of send_lock, might sleep */
 		rc = smc_cdc_get_free_slot(conn, to_lnk, &wr_buf, NULL, &pend);
-		if (rc) {
-			smcr_link_down_cond_sched(to_lnk);
-			return NULL;
-		}
+		if (rc)
+			goto err_out;
 		/* avoid race with smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty() */
 		spin_lock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
 		conn->lnk = to_lnk;
 		rc = smc_switch_cursor(smc, pend, wr_buf);
 		spin_unlock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
 		sock_put(&smc->sk);
-		if (rc) {
-			smcr_link_down_cond_sched(to_lnk);
-			return NULL;
-		}
+		if (rc)
+			goto err_out;
 		goto again;
 	}
 	read_unlock_bh(&lgr->conns_lock);
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(to_lnk);
 	return to_lnk;
+
+err_out:
+	smcr_link_down_cond_sched(to_lnk);
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(to_lnk);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 static void smcr_buf_unuse(struct smc_buf_desc *rmb_desc,
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_llc.c b/net/smc/smc_llc.c
index d8fe4e1f24d1f..f1d323439a2af 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_llc.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_llc.c
@@ -383,9 +383,11 @@ int smc_llc_send_confirm_link(struct smc_link *link,
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	confllc = (struct smc_llc_msg_confirm_link *)wr_buf;
 	memset(confllc, 0, sizeof(*confllc));
 	confllc->hd.common.type = SMC_LLC_CONFIRM_LINK;
@@ -402,6 +404,8 @@ int smc_llc_send_confirm_link(struct smc_link *link,
 	confllc->max_links = SMC_LLC_ADD_LNK_MAX_LINKS;
 	/* send llc message */
 	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -415,9 +419,11 @@ static int smc_llc_send_confirm_rkey(struct smc_link *send_link,
 	struct smc_link *link;
 	int i, rc, rtok_ix;
 
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(send_link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(send_link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	rkeyllc = (struct smc_llc_msg_confirm_rkey *)wr_buf;
 	memset(rkeyllc, 0, sizeof(*rkeyllc));
 	rkeyllc->hd.common.type = SMC_LLC_CONFIRM_RKEY;
@@ -444,6 +450,8 @@ static int smc_llc_send_confirm_rkey(struct smc_link *send_link,
 		(u64)sg_dma_address(rmb_desc->sgt[send_link->link_idx].sgl));
 	/* send llc message */
 	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(send_link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(send_link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -456,9 +464,11 @@ static int smc_llc_send_delete_rkey(struct smc_link *link,
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	rkeyllc = (struct smc_llc_msg_delete_rkey *)wr_buf;
 	memset(rkeyllc, 0, sizeof(*rkeyllc));
 	rkeyllc->hd.common.type = SMC_LLC_DELETE_RKEY;
@@ -467,6 +477,8 @@ static int smc_llc_send_delete_rkey(struct smc_link *link,
 	rkeyllc->rkey[0] = htonl(rmb_desc->mr_rx[link->link_idx]->rkey);
 	/* send llc message */
 	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -480,9 +492,11 @@ int smc_llc_send_add_link(struct smc_link *link, u8 mac[], u8 gid[],
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	addllc = (struct smc_llc_msg_add_link *)wr_buf;
 
 	memset(addllc, 0, sizeof(*addllc));
@@ -504,6 +518,8 @@ int smc_llc_send_add_link(struct smc_link *link, u8 mac[], u8 gid[],
 	}
 	/* send llc message */
 	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -517,9 +533,11 @@ int smc_llc_send_delete_link(struct smc_link *link, u8 link_del_id,
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	delllc = (struct smc_llc_msg_del_link *)wr_buf;
 
 	memset(delllc, 0, sizeof(*delllc));
@@ -536,6 +554,8 @@ int smc_llc_send_delete_link(struct smc_link *link, u8 link_del_id,
 	delllc->reason = htonl(reason);
 	/* send llc message */
 	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -547,9 +567,11 @@ static int smc_llc_send_test_link(struct smc_link *link, u8 user_data[16])
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	testllc = (struct smc_llc_msg_test_link *)wr_buf;
 	memset(testllc, 0, sizeof(*testllc));
 	testllc->hd.common.type = SMC_LLC_TEST_LINK;
@@ -557,6 +579,8 @@ static int smc_llc_send_test_link(struct smc_link *link, u8 user_data[16])
 	memcpy(testllc->user_data, user_data, sizeof(testllc->user_data));
 	/* send llc message */
 	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -567,13 +591,16 @@ static int smc_llc_send_message(struct smc_link *link, void *llcbuf)
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
-	if (!smc_link_usable(link))
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
 		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	memcpy(wr_buf, llcbuf, sizeof(union smc_llc_msg));
-	return smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
+	return rc;
 }
 
 /* schedule an llc send on link, may wait for buffers,
@@ -586,13 +613,16 @@ static int smc_llc_send_message_wait(struct smc_link *link, void *llcbuf)
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
-	if (!smc_link_usable(link))
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
 		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	memcpy(wr_buf, llcbuf, sizeof(union smc_llc_msg));
-	return smc_wr_tx_send_wait(link, pend, SMC_LLC_WAIT_TIME);
+	rc = smc_wr_tx_send_wait(link, pend, SMC_LLC_WAIT_TIME);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
+	return rc;
 }
 
 /********************************* receive ***********************************/
@@ -672,9 +702,11 @@ static int smc_llc_add_link_cont(struct smc_link *link,
 	struct smc_buf_desc *rmb;
 	u8 n;
 
+	if (!smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_llc_add_pending_send(link, &wr_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc)
-		return rc;
+		goto put_out;
 	addc_llc = (struct smc_llc_msg_add_link_cont *)wr_buf;
 	memset(addc_llc, 0, sizeof(*addc_llc));
 
@@ -706,7 +738,10 @@ static int smc_llc_add_link_cont(struct smc_link *link,
 	addc_llc->hd.length = sizeof(struct smc_llc_msg_add_link_cont);
 	if (lgr->role == SMC_CLNT)
 		addc_llc->hd.flags |= SMC_LLC_FLAG_RESP;
-	return smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+	rc = smc_wr_tx_send(link, pend);
+put_out:
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
+	return rc;
 }
 
 static int smc_llc_cli_rkey_exchange(struct smc_link *link,
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_tx.c b/net/smc/smc_tx.c
index ff02952b3d03e..52ef1fca0b604 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_tx.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_tx.c
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ static int smc_tx_rdma_writes(struct smc_connection *conn,
 /* Wakeup sndbuf consumers from any context (IRQ or process)
  * since there is more data to transmit; usable snd_wnd as max transmit
  */
-static int _smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(struct smc_connection *conn)
+static int smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(struct smc_connection *conn)
 {
 	struct smc_cdc_producer_flags *pflags = &conn->local_tx_ctrl.prod_flags;
 	struct smc_link *link = conn->lnk;
@@ -488,8 +488,11 @@ static int _smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(struct smc_connection *conn)
 	struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
 	int rc;
 
+	if (!link || !smc_wr_tx_link_hold(link))
+		return -ENOLINK;
 	rc = smc_cdc_get_free_slot(conn, link, &wr_buf, &wr_rdma_buf, &pend);
 	if (rc < 0) {
+		smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 		if (rc == -EBUSY) {
 			struct smc_sock *smc =
 				container_of(conn, struct smc_sock, conn);
@@ -530,22 +533,7 @@ static int _smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(struct smc_connection *conn)
 
 out_unlock:
 	spin_unlock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
-	return rc;
-}
-
-static int smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(struct smc_connection *conn)
-{
-	struct smc_link *link = conn->lnk;
-	int rc = -ENOLINK;
-
-	if (!link)
-		return rc;
-
-	atomic_inc(&link->wr_tx_refcnt);
-	if (smc_link_usable(link))
-		rc = _smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(conn);
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&link->wr_tx_refcnt))
-		wake_up_all(&link->wr_tx_wait);
+	smc_wr_tx_link_put(link);
 	return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_wr.h b/net/smc/smc_wr.h
index 423b8709f1c9e..2bc626f230a56 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_wr.h
+++ b/net/smc/smc_wr.h
@@ -60,6 +60,20 @@ static inline void smc_wr_tx_set_wr_id(atomic_long_t *wr_tx_id, long val)
 	atomic_long_set(wr_tx_id, val);
 }
 
+static inline bool smc_wr_tx_link_hold(struct smc_link *link)
+{
+	if (!smc_link_usable(link))
+		return false;
+	atomic_inc(&link->wr_tx_refcnt);
+	return true;
+}
+
+static inline void smc_wr_tx_link_put(struct smc_link *link)
+{
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&link->wr_tx_refcnt))
+		wake_up_all(&link->wr_tx_wait);
+}
+
 static inline void smc_wr_wakeup_tx_wait(struct smc_link *lnk)
 {
 	wake_up_all(&lnk->wr_tx_wait);
