diff --git a/net/nfc/nci/core.c b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
index bff6ba84d397..19518a231e57 100644
--- a/net/nfc/nci/core.c
+++ b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
@@ -157,12 +157,15 @@ inline int nci_request(struct nci_dev *ndev,
 {
 	int rc;
 
-	if (!test_bit(NCI_UP, &ndev->flags))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	/* Serialize all requests */
 	mutex_lock(&ndev->req_lock);
-	rc = __nci_request(ndev, req, opt, timeout);
+	/* check the state after obtaing the lock against any races
+	 * from nci_close_device when the device gets removed.
+	 */
+	if (test_bit(NCI_UP, &ndev->flags))
+		rc = __nci_request(ndev, req, opt, timeout);
+	else
+		rc = -ENETDOWN;
 	mutex_unlock(&ndev->req_lock);
 
 	return rc;