diff --git a/drivers/net/loopback.c b/drivers/net/loopback.c
index 55ecd5ebac0f..8a6cb34e6b5f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/loopback.c
+++ b/drivers/net/loopback.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(blackhole_netdev);
 static netdev_tx_t loopback_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
 				 struct net_device *dev)
 {
+	enum skb_drop_reason reason;
 	int len;
 
 	skb_tx_timestamp(skb);
@@ -84,7 +85,12 @@ static netdev_tx_t loopback_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
 	 */
 	skb_dst_force(skb);
 
-	skb->protocol = eth_type_trans(skb, dev);
+	reason = eth_type_trans_careful(skb, dev);
+	if (unlikely(reason)) {
+		dev_core_stats_tx_dropped_inc(dev);
+		kfree_skb_reason(skb, reason);
+		return NETDEV_TX_OK;
+	}
 
 	len = skb->len;
 	if (likely(__netif_rx(skb) == NET_RX_SUCCESS))