diff --git a/opensm/osm_sm_state_mgr.c b/opensm/osm_sm_state_mgr.c
index 596ad8f..770c5f9 100644
--- a/opensm/osm_sm_state_mgr.c
+++ b/opensm/osm_sm_state_mgr.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void osm_report_sm_state(osm_sm_t * sm)
 	OSM_LOG_MSG_BOX(sm->p_log, OSM_LOG_VERBOSE, buf);
 }
 
-static void sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(osm_sm_t * sm)
+static void sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(osm_sm_t * sm, uint8_t sm_state)
 {
 	osm_madw_context_t context;
 	const osm_port_t *p_port;
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ static void sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(osm_sm_t * sm)
 	OSM_LOG_ENTER(sm->p_log);
 
 	memset(&context, 0, sizeof(context));
-	CL_PLOCK_ACQUIRE(sm->p_lock);
-	if (sm->p_subn->sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_STANDBY) {
+	if (sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_STANDBY) {
 		/*
 		 * We are in STANDBY state - this means we need to poll the
 		 * master SM (according to master_guid).
@@ -104,13 +103,19 @@ static void sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(osm_sm_t * sm)
 		guid = sm->p_polling_sm->smi.guid;
 	}
 
+	/* Verify that SM is not polling itself */
+	if (guid == sm->p_subn->sm_port_guid) {
+		OSM_LOG(sm->p_log, OSM_LOG_VERBOSE,
+			"OpenSM doesn't poll itself\n");
+		goto Exit;
+	}
+
 	p_port = osm_get_port_by_guid(sm->p_subn, guid);
 
 	if (p_port == NULL) {
 		OSM_LOG(sm->p_log, OSM_LOG_ERROR, "ERR 3203: "
 			"No port object for GUID 0x%016" PRIx64 "\n",
 			cl_ntoh64(guid));
-		CL_PLOCK_RELEASE(sm->p_lock);
 		goto Exit;
 	}
 
@@ -122,7 +127,6 @@ static void sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(osm_sm_t * sm)
 			     IB_MAD_ATTR_SM_INFO, 0, FALSE,
 			     ib_port_info_get_m_key(&p_port->p_physp->port_info),
 			     CL_DISP_MSGID_NONE, &context);
-	CL_PLOCK_RELEASE(sm->p_lock);
 
 	if (status != IB_SUCCESS)
 		OSM_LOG(sm->p_log, OSM_LOG_ERROR, "ERR 3204: "
@@ -135,7 +139,7 @@ Exit:
 
 static void sm_state_mgr_start_polling(osm_sm_t * sm)
 {
-	uint32_t timeout = sm->p_subn->opt.sminfo_polling_timeout;
+	uint32_t timeout;
 	cl_status_t cl_status;
 
 	OSM_LOG_ENTER(sm->p_log);
@@ -148,7 +152,10 @@ static void sm_state_mgr_start_polling(osm_sm_t * sm)
 	/*
 	 * Send a SubnGet(SMInfo) query to the current (or new) master found.
 	 */
-	sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(sm);
+	CL_PLOCK_ACQUIRE(sm->p_lock);
+	timeout = sm->p_subn->opt.sminfo_polling_timeout;
+	sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(sm, sm->p_subn->sm_state);
+	CL_PLOCK_RELEASE(sm->p_lock);
 
 	/*
 	 * Start a timer that will wake up every sminfo_polling_timeout milliseconds.
@@ -166,21 +173,31 @@ static void sm_state_mgr_start_polling(osm_sm_t * sm)
 void osm_sm_state_mgr_polling_callback(IN void *context)
 {
 	osm_sm_t *sm = context;
-	uint32_t timeout = sm->p_subn->opt.sminfo_polling_timeout;
+	uint32_t timeout;
 	cl_status_t cl_status;
+	uint8_t sm_state;
 
 	OSM_LOG_ENTER(sm->p_log);
 
+	cl_spinlock_acquire(&sm->state_lock);
+	sm_state = sm->p_subn->sm_state;
+	cl_spinlock_release(&sm->state_lock);
+
+	CL_PLOCK_ACQUIRE(sm->p_lock);
+	timeout = sm->p_subn->opt.sminfo_polling_timeout;
+
 	/*
 	 * We can be here in one of two cases:
 	 * 1. We are a STANDBY sm polling on the master SM.
 	 * 2. We are a MASTER sm, waiting for a handover from a remote master sm.
 	 * If we are not in one of these cases - don't need to restart the poller.
 	 */
-	if (!((sm->p_subn->sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_MASTER &&
+	if (!((sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_MASTER &&
 	       sm->p_polling_sm != NULL) ||
-	      sm->p_subn->sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_STANDBY))
+	      sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_STANDBY)) {
+		CL_PLOCK_RELEASE(sm->p_lock);
 		goto Exit;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * If we are a STANDBY sm and the osm_exit_flag is set, then let's
@@ -189,7 +206,8 @@ void osm_sm_state_mgr_polling_callback(IN void *context)
 	 * received. In other cases - it is not relevant whether or not the
 	 * signal is on - since we are currently in exit flow
 	 */
-	if (sm->p_subn->sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_STANDBY && osm_exit_flag) {
+	if (sm_state == IB_SMINFO_STATE_STANDBY && osm_exit_flag) {
+		CL_PLOCK_RELEASE(sm->p_lock);
 		OSM_LOG(sm->p_log, OSM_LOG_VERBOSE,
 			"Signalling subnet_up_event\n");
 		cl_event_signal(&sm->subnet_up_event);
@@ -207,6 +225,7 @@ void osm_sm_state_mgr_polling_callback(IN void *context)
 		sm->retry_number);
 
 	if (sm->retry_number >= sm->p_subn->opt.polling_retry_number) {
+		CL_PLOCK_RELEASE(sm->p_lock);
 		OSM_LOG(sm->p_log, OSM_LOG_DEBUG,
 			"Reached polling_retry_number value in retry_number. "
 			"Go to DISCOVERY state\n");
@@ -215,7 +234,9 @@ void osm_sm_state_mgr_polling_callback(IN void *context)
 	}
 
 	/* Send a SubnGet(SMInfo) request to the remote sm (depends on our state) */
-	sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(sm);
+	sm_state_mgr_send_master_sm_info_req(sm, sm_state);
+
+	CL_PLOCK_RELEASE(sm->p_lock);
 
 	/* restart the timer */
 	cl_status = cl_timer_start(&sm->polling_timer, timeout);
