diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
index e34c52d059d3..bf82ef9874ab 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
@@ -3349,6 +3349,14 @@ static netdev_tx_t start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	else
 		virtqueue_disable_cb(sq->vq);
 
+	if (!use_napi &&
+	    unlikely(skb_orphan_frags(skb, GFP_ATOMIC))) {
+		DEV_STATS_INC(dev, tx_dropped);
+		dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
+		kick = !xmit_more || netif_xmit_stopped(txq);
+		goto kick_vq;
+	}
+
 	/* timestamp packet in software */
 	skb_tx_timestamp(skb);
 
@@ -3381,6 +3389,7 @@ static netdev_tx_t start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 
 	kick = use_napi ? __netdev_tx_sent_queue(txq, skb->len, xmit_more) :
 			  !xmit_more || netif_xmit_stopped(txq);
+kick_vq:
 	if (kick) {
 		if (virtqueue_kick_prepare(sq->vq) && virtqueue_notify(sq->vq)) {
 			u64_stats_update_begin(&sq->stats.syncp);