diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c
index a2cd4cf37734..7be9c062949b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c
@@ -2158,6 +2158,9 @@ ice_xmit_frame_ring(struct sk_buff *skb, struct ice_tx_ring *tx_ring)
 
 	ice_trace(xmit_frame_ring, tx_ring, skb);
 
+	/* record the location of the first descriptor for this packet */
+	first = &tx_ring->tx_buf[tx_ring->next_to_use];
+
 	count = ice_xmit_desc_count(skb);
 	if (ice_chk_linearize(skb, count)) {
 		if (__skb_linearize(skb))
@@ -2183,8 +2186,6 @@ ice_xmit_frame_ring(struct sk_buff *skb, struct ice_tx_ring *tx_ring)
 
 	offload.tx_ring = tx_ring;
 
-	/* record the location of the first descriptor for this packet */
-	first = &tx_ring->tx_buf[tx_ring->next_to_use];
 	first->skb = skb;
 	first->type = ICE_TX_BUF_SKB;
 	first->bytecount = max_t(unsigned int, skb->len, ETH_ZLEN);
@@ -2249,6 +2250,7 @@ ice_xmit_frame_ring(struct sk_buff *skb, struct ice_tx_ring *tx_ring)
 out_drop:
 	ice_trace(xmit_frame_ring_drop, tx_ring, skb);
 	dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
+	first->type = ICE_TX_BUF_EMPTY;
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 }