diff --git a/drivers/net/irda/via-ircc.c b/drivers/net/irda/via-ircc.c
index 79b85f327500c4e553bccf2c69007d2e22e89468..d916e1257c471d8df1c14e172f9a25963a2c00b8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/irda/via-ircc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/irda/via-ircc.c
@@ -1223,8 +1223,13 @@ static int upload_rxdata(struct via_ircc_cb *self, int iobase)
 
 	IRDA_DEBUG(2, "%s(): len=%x\n", __FUNCTION__, len);
 
+	if ((len - 4) < 2) {
+		self->stats.rx_dropped++;
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
 	skb = dev_alloc_skb(len + 1);
-	if ((skb == NULL) || ((len - 4) < 2)) {
+	if (skb == NULL) {
 		self->stats.rx_dropped++;
 		return FALSE;
 	}