diff --git a/net/tipc/topsrv.c b/net/tipc/topsrv.c
index 1489cfb941d8..6c8d0c6bb112 100644
--- a/net/tipc/topsrv.c
+++ b/net/tipc/topsrv.c
@@ -255,6 +255,9 @@ static void tipc_conn_send_to_sock(struct tipc_conn *con)
 	int count = 0;
 	int ret;
 
+	if (!con->server)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	spin_lock_bh(&con->outqueue_lock);
 
 	while (!list_empty(queue)) {