diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c b/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
index 051469887a5a..d52f13df28e2 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ static netdev_tx_t eth_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->lock, flags);
 
-	if (!in) {
+	if (skb && !in) {
 		dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
 		return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 	}
@@ -547,15 +547,15 @@ static netdev_tx_t eth_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
 		if (dev->port_usb)
 			skb = dev->wrap(dev->port_usb, skb);
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->lock, flags);
-		if (!skb) {
-			/* Multi frame CDC protocols may store the frame for
-			 * later which is not a dropped frame.
-			 */
-			if (dev->port_usb &&
-					dev->port_usb->supports_multi_frame)
-				goto multiframe;
-			goto drop;
-		}
+	}
+	if (!skb) {
+		/* Multi frame CDC protocols may store the frame for
+		 * later which is not a dropped frame.
+		 */
+		if (dev->port_usb &&
+				dev->port_usb->supports_multi_frame)
+			goto multiframe;
+		goto drop;
 	}
 
 	length = skb->len;