diff --git a/net/core/pktgen.c b/net/core/pktgen.c
index de8d5cc5eb24..4da4d51a2ccf 100644
--- a/net/core/pktgen.c
+++ b/net/core/pktgen.c
@@ -2787,7 +2787,9 @@ static struct sk_buff *pktgen_alloc_skb(struct net_device *dev,
 	} else {
 		 skb = __netdev_alloc_skb(dev, size, GFP_NOWAIT);
 	}
-	skb_reserve(skb, LL_RESERVED_SPACE(dev));
+
+	if (likely(skb))
+		skb_reserve(skb, LL_RESERVED_SPACE(dev));
 
 	return skb;
 }