diff --git a/net/tipc/msg.h b/net/tipc/msg.h
index 88a2ee03bb2a..6ad070d87702 100644
--- a/net/tipc/msg.h
+++ b/net/tipc/msg.h
@@ -70,8 +70,10 @@ static inline void msg_set_bits(struct tipc_msg *m, u32 w,
 				u32 pos, u32 mask, u32 val)
 {
 	val = (val & mask) << pos;
-	m->hdr[w] &= ~htonl(mask << pos);
-	m->hdr[w] |= htonl(val);
+	val = htonl(val);
+	mask = htonl(mask << pos);
+	m->hdr[w] &= ~mask;
+	m->hdr[w] |= val;
 }
 
 /*