diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index 42ba227f3e97..ca3dc6af73af 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -1772,8 +1772,12 @@ int smc_buf_create(struct smc_sock *smc, bool is_smcd)
 		return rc;
 	/* create rmb */
 	rc = __smc_buf_create(smc, is_smcd, true);
-	if (rc)
+	if (rc) {
+		mutex_lock(&smc->conn.lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+		list_del(&smc->conn.sndbuf_desc->list);
+		mutex_unlock(&smc->conn.lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 		smc_buf_free(smc->conn.lgr, false, smc->conn.sndbuf_desc);
+	}
 	return rc;
 }