diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c b/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c
index c73b22a257fe..bb6fea12ce31 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/core/uverbs_main.c
@@ -502,6 +502,10 @@ void ib_uverbs_qp_event_handler(struct ib_event *event, void *context_ptr)
 {
 	struct ib_uevent_object *uobj;
 
+	/* for XRC target qp's, check that qp is live */
+	if (!event->element.qp->uobject || !event->element.qp->uobject->live)
+		return;
+
 	uobj = container_of(event->element.qp->uobject,
 			    struct ib_uevent_object, uobject);