diff --git a/net/rds/connection.c b/net/rds/connection.c
index 56aebe444ad3..7e4e9dfdbc0b 100644
--- a/net/rds/connection.c
+++ b/net/rds/connection.c
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ static struct rds_connection *__rds_conn_create(__be32 laddr, __be32 faddr,
 	conn->c_next_tx_seq = 1;
 
 	spin_lock_init(&conn->c_send_lock);
+	atomic_set(&conn->c_send_generation, 1);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&conn->c_send_queue);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&conn->c_retrans);
 
diff --git a/net/rds/rds.h b/net/rds/rds.h
index 2f19d49fac9c..b57cb50c1f22 100644
--- a/net/rds/rds.h
+++ b/net/rds/rds.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ struct rds_connection {
 	struct rds_cong_map	*c_fcong;
 
 	spinlock_t		c_send_lock;	/* protect send ring */
+	atomic_t		c_send_generation;
 	struct rds_message	*c_xmit_rm;
 	unsigned long		c_xmit_sg;
 	unsigned int		c_xmit_hdr_off;
diff --git a/net/rds/send.c b/net/rds/send.c
index de5693cdcefb..663fd60b40cf 100644
--- a/net/rds/send.c
+++ b/net/rds/send.c
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ int rds_send_xmit(struct rds_connection *conn)
 	unsigned int tmp;
 	struct scatterlist *sg;
 	int ret = 0;
+	int gen = 0;
 	LIST_HEAD(to_be_dropped);
 
 restart:
@@ -134,6 +135,8 @@ restart:
 	if (conn->c_trans->xmit_prepare)
 		conn->c_trans->xmit_prepare(conn);
 
+	gen = atomic_inc_return(&conn->c_send_generation);
+
 	/*
 	 * spin trying to push headers and data down the connection until
 	 * the connection doesn't make forward progress.
@@ -359,13 +362,13 @@ restart:
 	if (ret == 0) {
 		/* A simple bit test would be way faster than taking the
 		 * spin lock */
-		spin_lock_irqsave(&conn->c_lock, flags);
+		smp_mb();
 		if (!list_empty(&conn->c_send_queue)) {
 			rds_stats_inc(s_send_lock_queue_raced);
-			spin_unlock_irqrestore(&conn->c_lock, flags);
-			goto restart;
+			if (gen == atomic_read(&conn->c_send_generation)) {
+				goto restart;
+			}
 		}
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&conn->c_lock, flags);
 	}
 out:
 	return ret;