diff --git a/drivers/net/ovpn/socket.c b/drivers/net/ovpn/socket.c
index 517caa64a4fe..6cbeb2caaeec 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ovpn/socket.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ovpn/socket.c
@@ -162,6 +162,15 @@ struct ovpn_socket *ovpn_socket_new(struct socket *sock, struct ovpn_peer *peer)
 		rcu_read_lock();
 		ovpn_sock = rcu_dereference_sk_user_data(sk);
 		if (ovpn_sock) {
+			/* something else filled the sk_user_data without
+			 * setting the encap_type. Reject the socket.
+			 */
+			if (!type) {
+				ovpn_sock = ERR_PTR(-EBUSY);
+				rcu_read_unlock();
+				goto sock_release;
+			}
+
 			/* socket owned by another ovpn instance, we can't use it */
 			if (ovpn_sock->ovpn != peer->ovpn) {
 				ovpn_sock = ERR_PTR(-EBUSY);