diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 6359f8953269..04fd056f7f74 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -6655,6 +6655,8 @@ static __latent_entropy void net_rx_action(struct softirq_action *h)
 	for (;;) {
 		struct napi_struct *n;
 
+		skb_defer_free_flush(sd);
+
 		if (list_empty(&list)) {
 			if (!sd_has_rps_ipi_waiting(sd) && list_empty(&repoll))
 				goto end;
@@ -6684,8 +6686,7 @@ static __latent_entropy void net_rx_action(struct softirq_action *h)
 		__raise_softirq_irqoff(NET_RX_SOFTIRQ);
 
 	net_rps_action_and_irq_enable(sd);
-end:
-	skb_defer_free_flush(sd);
+end:;
 }
 
 struct netdev_adjacent {