diff --git a/drivers/rapidio/devices/tsi721_dma.c b/drivers/rapidio/devices/tsi721_dma.c
index 91245f5dbe81..47257b6eea84 100644
--- a/drivers/rapidio/devices/tsi721_dma.c
+++ b/drivers/rapidio/devices/tsi721_dma.c
@@ -287,6 +287,12 @@ struct tsi721_tx_desc *tsi721_desc_get(struct tsi721_bdma_chan *bdma_chan)
 			"desc %p not ACKed\n", tx_desc);
 	}
 
+	if (ret == NULL) {
+		dev_dbg(bdma_chan->dchan.device->dev,
+			"%s: unable to obtain tx descriptor\n", __func__);
+		goto err_out;
+	}
+
 	i = bdma_chan->wr_count_next % bdma_chan->bd_num;
 	if (i == bdma_chan->bd_num - 1) {
 		i = 0;
@@ -297,7 +303,7 @@ struct tsi721_tx_desc *tsi721_desc_get(struct tsi721_bdma_chan *bdma_chan)
 	tx_desc->txd.phys = bdma_chan->bd_phys +
 				i * sizeof(struct tsi721_dma_desc);
 	tx_desc->hw_desc = &((struct tsi721_dma_desc *)bdma_chan->bd_base)[i];
-
+err_out:
 	spin_unlock_bh(&bdma_chan->lock);
 
 	return ret;