diff --git a/net/rds/ib_send.c b/net/rds/ib_send.c
index 5e72de10c484..6ab39dbcca01 100644
--- a/net/rds/ib_send.c
+++ b/net/rds/ib_send.c
@@ -770,7 +770,6 @@ int rds_ib_xmit_atomic(struct rds_connection *conn, struct rm_atomic_op *op)
 
 	work_alloc = rds_ib_ring_alloc(&ic->i_send_ring, 1, &pos);
 	if (work_alloc != 1) {
-		rds_ib_ring_unalloc(&ic->i_send_ring, work_alloc);
 		rds_ib_stats_inc(s_ib_tx_ring_full);
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		goto out;