diff --git a/net/unix/af_unix.c b/net/unix/af_unix.c
index 4def6e954e48..8d25d50f916e 100644
--- a/net/unix/af_unix.c
+++ b/net/unix/af_unix.c
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ static void unix_release_sock(struct sock *sk, int embrion)
 	 *	  What the above comment does talk about? --ANK(980817)
 	 */
 
-	if (unix_tot_inflight)
+	if (READ_ONCE(unix_tot_inflight))
 		unix_gc();		/* Garbage collect fds */
 }