diff --git a/net/tipc/node.c b/net/tipc/node.c
index 125f3277fc6e0..535a4a778640a 100644
--- a/net/tipc/node.c
+++ b/net/tipc/node.c
@@ -1546,6 +1546,7 @@ int tipc_node_xmit(struct net *net, struct sk_buff_head *list,
 	struct tipc_node *n;
 	struct sk_buff_head xmitq;
 	bool node_up = false;
+	struct net *peer_net;
 	int bearer_id;
 	int rc;
 
@@ -1562,18 +1563,23 @@ int tipc_node_xmit(struct net *net, struct sk_buff_head *list,
 		return -EHOSTUNREACH;
 	}
 
+	rcu_read_lock();
 	tipc_node_read_lock(n);
 	node_up = node_is_up(n);
-	if (node_up && n->peer_net && check_net(n->peer_net)) {
+	peer_net = n->peer_net;
+	tipc_node_read_unlock(n);
+	if (node_up && peer_net && check_net(peer_net)) {
 		/* xmit inner linux container */
-		tipc_lxc_xmit(n->peer_net, list);
+		tipc_lxc_xmit(peer_net, list);
 		if (likely(skb_queue_empty(list))) {
-			tipc_node_read_unlock(n);
+			rcu_read_unlock();
 			tipc_node_put(n);
 			return 0;
 		}
 	}
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 
+	tipc_node_read_lock(n);
 	bearer_id = n->active_links[selector & 1];
 	if (unlikely(bearer_id == INVALID_BEARER_ID)) {
 		tipc_node_read_unlock(n);