diff --git a/net/smc/smc_ism.c b/net/smc/smc_ism.c
index 2fff79db1a59..e89e918b88e0 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_ism.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_ism.c
@@ -289,6 +289,11 @@ struct smcd_dev *smcd_alloc_dev(struct device *parent, const char *name,
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&smcd->vlan);
 	smcd->event_wq = alloc_ordered_workqueue("ism_evt_wq-%s)",
 						 WQ_MEM_RECLAIM, name);
+	if (!smcd->event_wq) {
+		kfree(smcd->conn);
+		kfree(smcd);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	return smcd;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(smcd_alloc_dev);