diff --git a/net/netconsole.c b/net/netconsole.c
index 2ab19de..86a68e1 100644
--- a/net/netconsole.c
+++ b/net/netconsole.c
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@
 					struct nc_priv, cdev);
 	unsigned char c;
 
+	if (!priv->con)
+		return 0;
+
 	while (!kfifo_len(priv->fifo))
 		net_poll();
 
@@ -94,6 +97,9 @@
 	struct nc_priv *priv = container_of(cdev,
 					struct nc_priv, cdev);
 
+	if (!priv->con)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (priv->busy)
 		return kfifo_len(priv->fifo) ? 1 : 0;