1 files changed, 5 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_si_intf.c b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_si_intf.c
index 4f560d0bb808..1a8c1ca90557 100644
--- a/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_si_intf.c
+++ b/drivers/char/ipmi/ipmi_si_intf.c
@@ -723,8 +723,11 @@ static enum si_sm_result smi_event_handler(struct smi_info *smi_info,
                 si_sm_result = smi_info->handlers->event(smi_info->si_sm, 0);
         }
 
-        /* We prefer handling attn over new messages. */
-        if (si_sm_result == SI_SM_ATTN)
+        /*
+         * We prefer handling attn over new messages.  But don't do
+         * this if there is not yet an upper layer to handle anything.
+         */
+        if (likely(smi_info->intf) && si_sm_result == SI_SM_ATTN)
         {
                 unsigned char msg[2];