diff --git a/net/mac80211/tx.c b/net/mac80211/tx.c
index 46b02a6ae0a3..415e951e4138 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/tx.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/tx.c
@@ -5311,8 +5311,10 @@ ieee80211_beacon_get_ap(struct ieee80211_hw *hw,
 	if (beacon->tail)
 		skb_put_data(skb, beacon->tail, beacon->tail_len);
 
-	if (ieee80211_beacon_protect(skb, local, sdata, link) < 0)
+	if (ieee80211_beacon_protect(skb, local, sdata, link) < 0) {
+		dev_kfree_skb(skb);
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	ieee80211_beacon_get_finish(hw, vif, link, offs, beacon, skb,
 				    chanctx_conf, csa_off_base);