diff --git a/fs/smb/client/smbdirect.c b/fs/smb/client/smbdirect.c
index 713bd1dcd39c..be9be8f36331 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/smbdirect.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/smbdirect.c
@@ -1064,8 +1064,10 @@ static int smbd_negotiate(struct smbd_connection *info)
 	log_rdma_event(INFO, "smbd_post_recv rc=%d iov.addr=0x%llx iov.length=%u iov.lkey=0x%x\n",
 		       rc, response->sge.addr,
 		       response->sge.length, response->sge.lkey);
-	if (rc)
+	if (rc) {
+		put_receive_buffer(info, response);
 		return rc;
+	}
 
 	init_completion(&info->negotiate_completion);
 	info->negotiate_done = false;