--- x/drivers/bluetooth/hci_ldisc.c
+++ y/drivers/bluetooth/hci_ldisc.c
@@ -100,13 +100,9 @@ static inline struct sk_buff *hci_uart_d
 	struct sk_buff *skb = hu->tx_skb;
 
 	if (!skb) {
-		percpu_down_read(&hu->proto_lock);
-
 		if (test_bit(HCI_UART_PROTO_READY, &hu->flags) ||
 		    test_bit(HCI_UART_PROTO_INIT, &hu->flags))
 			skb = hu->proto->dequeue(hu);
-
-		percpu_up_read(&hu->proto_lock);
 	} else {
 		hu->tx_skb = NULL;
 	}
@@ -154,6 +150,11 @@ static void hci_uart_write_work(struct w
 	/* REVISIT: should we cope with bad skbs or ->write() returning
 	 * and error value ?
 	 */
+	percpu_down_read(&hu->proto_lock);
+	if (!test_bit(HCI_UART_PROTO_READY, &hu->flags)) {
+		percpu_up_read(&hu->proto_lock);
+		return;
+	}
 
 restart:
 	clear_bit(HCI_UART_TX_WAKEUP, &hu->tx_state);
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ restart:
 	if (test_bit(HCI_UART_TX_WAKEUP, &hu->tx_state))
 		goto restart;
 
+	percpu_up_read(&hu->proto_lock);
 	wake_up_bit(&hu->tx_state, HCI_UART_SENDING);
 }