diff --git a/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c b/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c
index 305488a74a25..a5ac82eabd25 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c
@@ -684,12 +684,13 @@ bool batadv_gw_out_of_range(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 	struct batadv_gw_node *gw_node = NULL;
 	struct batadv_gw_node *curr_gw = NULL;
 	struct batadv_neigh_ifinfo *curr_ifinfo, *old_ifinfo;
-	struct ethhdr *ethhdr = (struct ethhdr *)skb->data;
+	struct ethhdr *ethhdr;
 	bool out_of_range = false;
 	u8 curr_tq_avg;
 	unsigned short vid;
 
 	vid = batadv_get_vid(skb, 0);
+	ethhdr = (struct ethhdr *)skb->data;
 
 	if (is_multicast_ether_addr(ethhdr->h_dest))
 		goto out;