diff --git a/net/smc/af_smc.c b/net/smc/af_smc.c
index d091509b5982f234eae1345a0ae98573b467adc9..1163d51196da996dac190701b9f31618a4406e46 100644
--- a/net/smc/af_smc.c
+++ b/net/smc/af_smc.c
@@ -126,8 +126,10 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(smc_proto6);
 
 static void smc_restore_fallback_changes(struct smc_sock *smc)
 {
-	smc->clcsock->file->private_data = smc->sk.sk_socket;
-	smc->clcsock->file = NULL;
+	if (smc->clcsock->file) { /* non-accepted sockets have no file yet */
+		smc->clcsock->file->private_data = smc->sk.sk_socket;
+		smc->clcsock->file = NULL;
+	}
 }
 
 static int __smc_release(struct smc_sock *smc)