diff --git a/drivers/net/pcmcia/3c589_cs.c b/drivers/net/pcmcia/3c589_cs.c
index 143ae2ff309e3ef539a0c9cc2ba6071a00158de9..503f2685fb73c434ae4a2d6d98be4f03a3d4b7d9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/pcmcia/3c589_cs.c
+++ b/drivers/net/pcmcia/3c589_cs.c
@@ -629,9 +629,9 @@ static int el3_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	outw(SetTxThreshold + 1536, ioaddr + EL3_CMD);
     }
 
-    dev_kfree_skb(skb);
     pop_tx_status(dev);
     spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->lock, flags);    
+    dev_kfree_skb(skb);
     
     return 0;
 }