diff --git a/drivers/nfc/virtual_ncidev.c b/drivers/nfc/virtual_ncidev.c
index b027be0b0b6f..590b038e449e 100644
--- a/drivers/nfc/virtual_ncidev.c
+++ b/drivers/nfc/virtual_ncidev.c
@@ -26,10 +26,14 @@ struct virtual_nci_dev {
 	struct mutex mtx;
 	struct sk_buff *send_buff;
 	struct wait_queue_head wq;
+	bool running;
 };
 
 static int virtual_nci_open(struct nci_dev *ndev)
 {
+	struct virtual_nci_dev *vdev = nci_get_drvdata(ndev);
+
+	vdev->running = true;
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -40,6 +44,7 @@ static int virtual_nci_close(struct nci_dev *ndev)
 	mutex_lock(&vdev->mtx);
 	kfree_skb(vdev->send_buff);
 	vdev->send_buff = NULL;
+	vdev->running = false;
 	mutex_unlock(&vdev->mtx);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -50,7 +55,7 @@ static int virtual_nci_send(struct nci_dev *ndev, struct sk_buff *skb)
 	struct virtual_nci_dev *vdev = nci_get_drvdata(ndev);
 
 	mutex_lock(&vdev->mtx);
-	if (vdev->send_buff) {
+	if (vdev->send_buff || !vdev->running) {
 		mutex_unlock(&vdev->mtx);
 		kfree_skb(skb);
 		return -1;