diff --git a/sys/kern/uipc_socket.c b/sys/kern/uipc_socket.c
index 8bd487d57a9..fc7ef8bd9ef 100644
--- a/sys/kern/uipc_socket.c
+++ b/sys/kern/uipc_socket.c
@@ -283,14 +283,14 @@ void
 sofree(so)
 	struct socket *so;
 {
-	struct socket *head = so->so_head;
 	int s;
 
 	KASSERT(so->so_count == 0, ("socket %p so_count not 0", so));
 
 	if (so->so_pcb || (so->so_state & SS_NOFDREF) == 0)
 		return;
-	if (head != NULL) {
+	if (so->so_head != NULL) {
+		struct socket *head = so->so_head;
 		if (so->so_state & SS_INCOMP) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&head->so_incomp, so, so_list);
 			head->so_incqlen--;