diff --git a/drivers/vhost/net.c b/drivers/vhost/net.c
index b53b6528d6ce..48e574ae6033 100644
--- a/drivers/vhost/net.c
+++ b/drivers/vhost/net.c
@@ -860,6 +860,7 @@ static void handle_tx_zerocopy(struct vhost_net *net, struct socket *sock)
 	size_t len, total_len = 0;
 	int err;
 	struct vhost_net_ubuf_ref *uninitialized_var(ubufs);
+	struct ubuf_info *ubuf;
 	bool zcopy_used;
 	int sent_pkts = 0;
 
@@ -892,9 +893,7 @@ static void handle_tx_zerocopy(struct vhost_net *net, struct socket *sock)
 
 		/* use msg_control to pass vhost zerocopy ubuf info to skb */
 		if (zcopy_used) {
-			struct ubuf_info *ubuf;
 			ubuf = nvq->ubuf_info + nvq->upend_idx;
-
 			vq->heads[nvq->upend_idx].id = cpu_to_vhost32(vq, head);
 			vq->heads[nvq->upend_idx].len = VHOST_DMA_IN_PROGRESS;
 			ubuf->callback = vhost_zerocopy_callback;
@@ -924,7 +923,8 @@ static void handle_tx_zerocopy(struct vhost_net *net, struct socket *sock)
 		err = sock->ops->sendmsg(sock, &msg, len);
 		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
 			if (zcopy_used) {
-				vhost_net_ubuf_put(ubufs);
+				if (vq->heads[ubuf->desc].len == VHOST_DMA_IN_PROGRESS)
+					vhost_net_ubuf_put(ubufs);
 				nvq->upend_idx = ((unsigned)nvq->upend_idx - 1)
 					% UIO_MAXIOV;
 			}