diff --git a/fs/io_uring.c b/fs/io_uring.c
index 1b2517291b78..b1fbc4424aa6 100644
--- a/fs/io_uring.c
+++ b/fs/io_uring.c
@@ -4131,6 +4131,9 @@ static int io_req_defer_prep(struct io_kiocb *req,
 {
 	ssize_t ret = 0;
 
+	if (!sqe)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (io_op_defs[req->opcode].file_table) {
 		ret = io_grab_files(req);
 		if (unlikely(ret))
@@ -4907,6 +4910,11 @@ static bool io_submit_sqe(struct io_kiocb *req, const struct io_uring_sqe *sqe,
 		if (sqe_flags & (IOSQE_IO_LINK|IOSQE_IO_HARDLINK)) {
 			req->flags |= REQ_F_LINK;
 			INIT_LIST_HEAD(&req->link_list);
+
+			if (io_alloc_async_ctx(req)) {
+				ret = -EAGAIN;
+				goto err_req;
+			}
 			ret = io_req_defer_prep(req, sqe);
 			if (ret)
 				req->flags |= REQ_F_FAIL_LINK;