diff --git a/net/ceph/messenger.c b/net/ceph/messenger.c
index 66f6f56bcb23..1041114453db 100644
--- a/net/ceph/messenger.c
+++ b/net/ceph/messenger.c
@@ -2742,7 +2742,8 @@ static int ceph_con_in_msg_alloc(struct ceph_connection *con, int *skip)
 		msg = con->ops->alloc_msg(con, hdr, skip);
 		mutex_lock(&con->mutex);
 		if (con->state != CON_STATE_OPEN) {
-			ceph_msg_put(msg);
+			if (msg)
+				ceph_msg_put(msg);
 			return -EAGAIN;
 		}
 		con->in_msg = msg;