if (unlikely(data->ghcb_active)) {
                /* GHCB is already in use - save its contents */
 
-               if (unlikely(data->backup_ghcb_active))
-                       return NULL;
+               if (unlikely(data->backup_ghcb_active)) {
+                       /*
+                        * Backup-GHCB is also already in use. There is no way
+                        * to continue here so just kill the machine. To make
+                        * panic() work, mark GHCBs inactive so that messages
+                        * can be printed out.
+                        */
+                       data->ghcb_active        = false;
+                       data->backup_ghcb_active = false;
+
+                       panic("Unable to handle #VC exception! GHCB and Backup GHCB are already in use");
+               }
 
                /* Mark backup_ghcb active before writing to it */
                data->backup_ghcb_active = true;
  */
 DEFINE_IDTENTRY_VC_SAFE_STACK(exc_vmm_communication)
 {
-       struct sev_es_runtime_data *data = this_cpu_read(runtime_data);
        irqentry_state_t irq_state;
        struct ghcb_state state;
        struct es_em_ctxt ctxt;
         */
 
        ghcb = sev_es_get_ghcb(&state);
-       if (!ghcb) {
-               /*
-                * Mark GHCBs inactive so that panic() is able to print the
-                * message.
-                */
-               data->ghcb_active        = false;
-               data->backup_ghcb_active = false;
-
-               panic("Unable to handle #VC exception! GHCB and Backup GHCB are already in use");
-       }
 
        vc_ghcb_invalidate(ghcb);
        result = vc_init_em_ctxt(&ctxt, regs, error_code);