diff --git a/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/transport.c b/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/transport.c
index 8c545f7d7525..740bddcf3488 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/transport.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/transport.c
@@ -576,6 +576,9 @@ xprt_rdma_free(void *buffer)
 
 	rb = container_of(buffer, struct rpcrdma_regbuf, rg_base[0]);
 	req = rb->rg_owner;
+	if (req->rl_backchannel)
+		return;
+
 	r_xprt = container_of(req->rl_buffer, struct rpcrdma_xprt, rx_buf);
 
 	dprintk("RPC:       %s: called on 0x%p\n", __func__, req->rl_reply);