diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c b/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c
index d54434088727..fa937cd26821 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c
@@ -222,8 +222,12 @@ static ssize_t ib_uverbs_event_read(struct ib_uverbs_event_queue *ev_queue,
 	spin_lock_irq(&ev_queue->lock);
 
 	while (list_empty(&ev_queue->event_list)) {
-		spin_unlock_irq(&ev_queue->lock);
+		if (ev_queue->is_closed) {
+			spin_unlock_irq(&ev_queue->lock);
+			return -EIO;
+		}
 
+		spin_unlock_irq(&ev_queue->lock);
 		if (filp->f_flags & O_NONBLOCK)
 			return -EAGAIN;
 
@@ -233,12 +237,6 @@ static ssize_t ib_uverbs_event_read(struct ib_uverbs_event_queue *ev_queue,
 			return -ERESTARTSYS;
 
 		spin_lock_irq(&ev_queue->lock);
-
-		/* If device was disassociated and no event exists set an error */
-		if (list_empty(&ev_queue->event_list) && ev_queue->is_closed) {
-			spin_unlock_irq(&ev_queue->lock);
-			return -EIO;
-		}
 	}
 
 	event = list_entry(ev_queue->event_list.next, struct ib_uverbs_event, list);