diff --git a/drivers/net/ntb_netdev.c b/drivers/net/ntb_netdev.c
index 66405f400509..9c171697e762 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ntb_netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ntb_netdev.c
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ static void ntb_netdev_rx_handler(struct ntb_transport_qp *qp, void *qp_data,
 		goto enqueue_again;
 	}
 
+	ndev->stats.rx_packets++;
+	ndev->stats.rx_bytes += len;
+
 	new_skb = netdev_alloc_skb(ndev, ndev->mtu + ETH_HLEN);
 	if (!new_skb) {
 		ndev->stats.rx_dropped++;
@@ -156,8 +159,6 @@ static void ntb_netdev_rx_handler(struct ntb_transport_qp *qp, void *qp_data,
 	skb_record_rx_queue(skb, q->qid);
 
 	netif_rx(skb);
-	ndev->stats.rx_packets++;
-	ndev->stats.rx_bytes += len;
 
 	skb = new_skb;