diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_selftest.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_selftest.c
index 08a75654f5f1..c170503b3aac 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_selftest.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_selftest.c
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ mlx5e_test_loopback_validate(struct sk_buff *skb,
 	struct udphdr *udph;
 	struct iphdr *iph;
 
+	if (skb_linearize(skb))
+		goto out;
+
 	/* We are only going to peek, no need to clone the SKB */
 	if (MLX5E_TEST_PKT_SIZE - ETH_HLEN > skb_headlen(skb))
 		goto out;