diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c
index 6db5fc292030..6ac4dd5bb30a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c
@@ -1668,6 +1668,11 @@ restart_poll:
 			dev_kfree_skb_any(rx_buff->skb);
 			remove_buff_from_pool(adapter, rx_buff);
 			continue;
+		} else if (!rx_buff->skb) {
+			/* free the entry */
+			next->rx_comp.first = 0;
+			remove_buff_from_pool(adapter, rx_buff);
+			continue;
 		}
 
 		length = be32_to_cpu(next->rx_comp.len);