diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/pci-epf.c b/drivers/nvme/target/pci-epf.c
index 9c28367435a5..c683450df422 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/pci-epf.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/pci-epf.c
@@ -978,6 +978,9 @@ nvmet_pci_epf_get_sgl_segment(struct nvmet_pci_epf_ctrl *ctrl,
 	int nr_descs, ret;
 	void *buf;
 
+	if (length < sizeof(struct nvme_sgl_desc))
+		return NULL;
+
 	buf = kmalloc(length, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!buf)
 		return NULL;