diff --git a/fs/dlm/requestqueue.c b/fs/dlm/requestqueue.c
index 0226d2a..65008d7 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/requestqueue.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/requestqueue.c
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@
 	int length = hd->h_length;
 	int rv = 0;
 
-	if (dlm_is_removed(ls, nodeid))
-		return 0;
-
 	e = kmalloc(sizeof(struct rq_entry) + length, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!e) {
 		log_print("dlm_add_requestqueue: out of memory\n");
@@ -133,6 +130,10 @@
 {
 	uint32_t type = ms->m_type;
 
+	/* the ls is being cleaned up and freed by release_lockspace */
+	if (!ls->ls_count)
+		return 1;
+
 	if (dlm_is_removed(ls, nodeid))
 		return 1;