diff --git a/net/ipv4/route.c b/net/ipv4/route.c
index 0383e66f59bc..7effa62beed3 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/route.c
@@ -2750,12 +2750,13 @@ static int inet_rtm_getroute(struct sk_buff *in_skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 		err = 0;
 		if (IS_ERR(rt))
 			err = PTR_ERR(rt);
+		else
+			skb_dst_set(skb, &rt->dst);
 	}
 
 	if (err)
 		goto errout_free;
 
-	skb_dst_set(skb, &rt->dst);
 	if (rtm->rtm_flags & RTM_F_NOTIFY)
 		rt->rt_flags |= RTCF_NOTIFY;