diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/conrpc.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/conrpc.c
index 8a67f8903a4c..32970ef777e3 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/conrpc.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/conrpc.c
@@ -123,11 +123,10 @@ lstcon_rpc_prep(lstcon_node_t *nd, int service, unsigned feats,
 
 	spin_lock(&console_session.ses_rpc_lock);
 
-	if (!list_empty(&console_session.ses_rpc_freelist)) {
-		crpc = list_entry(console_session.ses_rpc_freelist.next,
-				  lstcon_rpc_t, crp_link);
+	crpc = list_first_entry_or_null(&console_session.ses_rpc_freelist,
+					lstcon_rpc_t, crp_link);
+	if (crpc)
 		list_del_init(&crpc->crp_link);
-	}
 
 	spin_unlock(&console_session.ses_rpc_lock);
 
diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/framework.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/framework.c
index a2f94fa2aebd..b86db8dcf8dc 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/framework.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/selftest/framework.c
@@ -919,11 +919,10 @@ sfw_create_test_rpc(sfw_test_unit_t *tsu, lnet_process_id_t peer,
 	spin_lock(&tsi->tsi_lock);
 
 	LASSERT(sfw_test_active(tsi));
-
-	if (!list_empty(&tsi->tsi_free_rpcs)) {
 		/* pick request from buffer */
-		rpc = list_entry(tsi->tsi_free_rpcs.next,
-				 srpc_client_rpc_t, crpc_list);
+	rpc = list_first_entry_or_null(&tsi->tsi_free_rpcs,
+				       srpc_client_rpc_t, crpc_list);
+	if (rpc) {
 		LASSERT(nblk == rpc->crpc_bulk.bk_niov);
 		list_del_init(&rpc->crpc_list);
 	}