struct smc_wr_buf *wr_buf;
        int rc;
 
-       spin_lock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
        rc = smc_cdc_get_free_slot(conn, &wr_buf, &pend);
        if (rc < 0) {
                if (rc == -EBUSY) {
                        struct smc_sock *smc =
                                container_of(conn, struct smc_sock, conn);
 
-                       if (smc->sk.sk_err == ECONNABORTED) {
-                               rc = sock_error(&smc->sk);
-                               goto out_unlock;
-                       }
+                       if (smc->sk.sk_err == ECONNABORTED)
+                               return sock_error(&smc->sk);
                        rc = 0;
                        if (conn->alert_token_local) /* connection healthy */
                                mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &conn->tx_work,
                                                 SMC_TX_WORK_DELAY);
                }
-               goto out_unlock;
+               return rc;
        }
 
+       spin_lock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
        if (!conn->local_tx_ctrl.prod_flags.urg_data_present) {
                rc = smc_tx_rdma_writes(conn);
                if (rc) {