diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_request.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_request.c
index 610ed0817bd7..161ea93a5382 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_request.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_request.c
@@ -271,12 +271,16 @@ int hci_req_sync(struct hci_dev *hdev, int (*req)(struct hci_request *req,
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!test_bit(HCI_UP, &hdev->flags))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	/* Serialize all requests */
 	hci_req_sync_lock(hdev);
-	ret = __hci_req_sync(hdev, req, opt, timeout, hci_status);
+	/* check the state after obtaing the lock to protect the HCI_UP
+	 * against any races from hci_dev_do_close when the controller
+	 * gets removed.
+	 */
+	if (test_bit(HCI_UP, &hdev->flags))
+		ret = __hci_req_sync(hdev, req, opt, timeout, hci_status);
+	else
+		ret = -ENETDOWN;
 	hci_req_sync_unlock(hdev);
 
 	return ret;