diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.c b/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.c
index cbe5ab26d95b..75275f9e363d 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.c
@@ -132,25 +132,22 @@ static int defer_packet_queue(
 	struct hfi1_user_sdma_pkt_q *pq =
 		container_of(wait, struct hfi1_user_sdma_pkt_q, busy);
 	struct hfi1_ibdev *dev = &pq->dd->verbs_dev;
-	struct user_sdma_txreq *tx =
-		container_of(txreq, struct user_sdma_txreq, txreq);
 
-	if (sdma_progress(sde, seq, txreq)) {
-		if (tx->busycount++ < MAX_DEFER_RETRY_COUNT)
-			goto eagain;
-	}
+	write_seqlock(&dev->iowait_lock);
+	if (sdma_progress(sde, seq, txreq))
+		goto eagain;
 	/*
 	 * We are assuming that if the list is enqueued somewhere, it
 	 * is to the dmawait list since that is the only place where
 	 * it is supposed to be enqueued.
 	 */
 	xchg(&pq->state, SDMA_PKT_Q_DEFERRED);
-	write_seqlock(&dev->iowait_lock);
 	if (list_empty(&pq->busy.list))
 		iowait_queue(pkts_sent, &pq->busy, &sde->dmawait);
 	write_sequnlock(&dev->iowait_lock);
 	return -EBUSY;
 eagain:
+	write_sequnlock(&dev->iowait_lock);
 	return -EAGAIN;
 }
 
@@ -803,7 +800,6 @@ static int user_sdma_send_pkts(struct user_sdma_request *req, unsigned maxpkts)
 
 		tx->flags = 0;
 		tx->req = req;
-		tx->busycount = 0;
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&tx->list);
 
 		/*
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.h b/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.h
index 2b5326d6db53..87b0c567f442 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.h
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/hw/hfi1/user_sdma.h
@@ -236,7 +236,6 @@ struct user_sdma_txreq {
 	struct list_head list;
 	struct user_sdma_request *req;
 	u16 flags;
-	unsigned int busycount;
 	u64 seqnum;
 };