diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index 500952c2e67bab..3b125d348b4aed 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -1818,7 +1818,9 @@ void smcr_link_down_cond_sched(struct smc_link *lnk)
 {
 	if (smc_link_downing(&lnk->state)) {
 		trace_smcr_link_down(lnk, __builtin_return_address(0));
-		schedule_work(&lnk->link_down_wrk);
+		smcr_link_hold(lnk); /* smcr_link_put in link_down_wrk */
+		if (!schedule_work(&lnk->link_down_wrk))
+			smcr_link_put(lnk);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1850,11 +1852,14 @@ static void smc_link_down_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct smc_link_group *lgr = link->lgr;
 
 	if (list_empty(&lgr->list))
-		return;
+		goto out;
 	wake_up_all(&lgr->llc_msg_waiter);
 	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	smcr_link_down(link);
 	up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+
+out:
+	smcr_link_put(link); /* smcr_link_hold by schedulers of link_down_work */
 }
 
 static int smc_vlan_by_tcpsk_walk(struct net_device *lower_dev,