diff --git a/drivers/bluetooth/hci_serdev.c b/drivers/bluetooth/hci_serdev.c
index 46e20444ba19..a541e6ee085e 100644
--- a/drivers/bluetooth/hci_serdev.c
+++ b/drivers/bluetooth/hci_serdev.c
@@ -57,9 +57,10 @@ static inline struct sk_buff *hci_uart_dequeue(struct hci_uart *hu)
 {
 	struct sk_buff *skb = hu->tx_skb;
 
-	if (!skb)
-		skb = hu->proto->dequeue(hu);
-	else
+	if (!skb) {
+		if (test_bit(HCI_UART_PROTO_READY, &hu->flags))
+			skb = hu->proto->dequeue(hu);
+	} else
 		hu->tx_skb = NULL;
 
 	return skb;