diff --git a/net/smc/af_smc.c b/net/smc/af_smc.c
index da1a5cdefd13..8cc97834d4f6 100644
--- a/net/smc/af_smc.c
+++ b/net/smc/af_smc.c
@@ -1406,8 +1406,10 @@ static int smc_create(struct net *net, struct socket *sock, int protocol,
 	smc->use_fallback = false; /* assume rdma capability first */
 	rc = sock_create_kern(net, PF_INET, SOCK_STREAM,
 			      IPPROTO_TCP, &smc->clcsock);
-	if (rc)
+	if (rc) {
 		sk_common_release(sk);
+		goto out;
+	}
 	smc->sk.sk_sndbuf = max(smc->clcsock->sk->sk_sndbuf, SMC_BUF_MIN_SIZE);
 	smc->sk.sk_rcvbuf = max(smc->clcsock->sk->sk_rcvbuf, SMC_BUF_MIN_SIZE);