diff --git a/fs/netfs/direct_write.c b/fs/netfs/direct_write.c
index c16fbad286a1..567b946b7a56 100644
--- a/fs/netfs/direct_write.c
+++ b/fs/netfs/direct_write.c
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ static int netfs_unbuffered_write(struct netfs_io_request *wreq)
 		if (!subreq) {
 			netfs_prepare_write(wreq, stream, wreq->start + wreq->transferred);
 			subreq = stream->construct;
+			if (!subreq) {
+				wreq->error = -ENOMEM;
+				break;
+			}
 			stream->construct = NULL;
 		}
 
diff --git a/fs/netfs/write_issue.c b/fs/netfs/write_issue.c
index 2d9cfcd43658..851f6f93ad45 100644
--- a/fs/netfs/write_issue.c
+++ b/fs/netfs/write_issue.c
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@ void netfs_prepare_write(struct netfs_io_request *wreq,
 		rolling_buffer_make_space(&wreq->buffer, wreq->gfp);
 
 	subreq = netfs_alloc_subrequest(wreq);
+	if (!subreq)
+		return;
 	subreq->source		= stream->source;
 	subreq->start		= start;
 	subreq->stream_nr	= stream->stream_nr;