diff --git a/net/tipc/port.c b/net/tipc/port.c
index c1a1a76759b59259e87a7b12bc190e6c9fcc07cc..b7f3199523caaf846d0aa1479c69888426374040 100644
--- a/net/tipc/port.c
+++ b/net/tipc/port.c
@@ -1136,11 +1136,12 @@ int tipc_publish(u32 ref, unsigned int scope, struct tipc_name_seq const *seq)
 	int res = -EINVAL;
 
 	p_ptr = tipc_port_lock(ref);
+	if (!p_ptr)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	dbg("tipc_publ %u, p_ptr = %x, conn = %x, scope = %x, "
 	    "lower = %u, upper = %u\n",
 	    ref, p_ptr, p_ptr->publ.connected, scope, seq->lower, seq->upper);
-	if (!p_ptr)
-		return -EINVAL;
 	if (p_ptr->publ.connected)
 		goto exit;
 	if (seq->lower > seq->upper)