diff --git a/fs/cifs/transport.c b/fs/cifs/transport.c
index 76d974c952fe93126a31d437dc0e362ffef6087c..1a528680ec5a29e4b59485fba5df54568a1e3787 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/transport.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/transport.c
@@ -144,9 +144,6 @@ smb_send_kvec(struct TCP_Server_Info *server, struct kvec *iov, size_t n_vec,
 
 	*sent = 0;
 
-	if (ssocket == NULL)
-		return -ENOTSOCK; /* BB eventually add reconnect code here */
-
 	smb_msg.msg_name = (struct sockaddr *) &server->dstaddr;
 	smb_msg.msg_namelen = sizeof(struct sockaddr);
 	smb_msg.msg_control = NULL;
@@ -291,6 +288,9 @@ smb_send_rqst(struct TCP_Server_Info *server, struct smb_rqst *rqst)
 	struct socket *ssocket = server->ssocket;
 	int val = 1;
 
+	if (ssocket == NULL)
+		return -ENOTSOCK;
+
 	cFYI(1, "Sending smb: smb_len=%u", smb_buf_length);
 	dump_smb(iov[0].iov_base, iov[0].iov_len);