diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_xrx200.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_xrx200.c
index 0e10d8aeffe1..21ef2f128070 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_xrx200.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_xrx200.c
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ static int xrx200_close(struct net_device *net_dev)
 
 static int xrx200_alloc_skb(struct xrx200_chan *ch)
 {
+	struct sk_buff *skb = ch->skb[ch->dma.desc];
 	dma_addr_t mapping;
 	int ret = 0;
 
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ static int xrx200_alloc_skb(struct xrx200_chan *ch)
 				 XRX200_DMA_DATA_LEN, DMA_FROM_DEVICE);
 	if (unlikely(dma_mapping_error(ch->priv->dev, mapping))) {
 		dev_kfree_skb_any(ch->skb[ch->dma.desc]);
+		ch->skb[ch->dma.desc] = skb;
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		goto skip;
 	}
@@ -198,7 +200,6 @@ static int xrx200_hw_receive(struct xrx200_chan *ch)
 	ch->dma.desc %= LTQ_DESC_NUM;
 
 	if (ret) {
-		ch->skb[ch->dma.desc] = skb;
 		net_dev->stats.rx_dropped++;
 		netdev_err(net_dev, "failed to allocate new rx buffer\n");
 		return ret;