diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/rtase/rtase_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/rtase/rtase_main.c
index 4168ad9e48ea..e3cd4f7c1380 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/rtase/rtase_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/rtase/rtase_main.c
@@ -1623,6 +1623,9 @@ static netdev_tx_t rtase_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
 err_dma_1:
 	ring->skbuff[entry] = NULL;
 	rtase_tx_clear_range(ring, ring->cur_idx + 1, frags);
+	if (frags)
+		/* the frags were cleared above, along with the skb */
+		return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 
 err_dma_0:
 	tp->stats.tx_dropped++;