diff --git a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_async.c b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_async.c
index 9c889e0303dd1..cef40de1bd051 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_async.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_async.c
@@ -878,15 +878,15 @@ ppp_async_input(struct asyncppp *ap, const unsigned char *buf,
 				skb = dev_alloc_skb(ap->mru + PPP_HDRLEN + 2);
 				if (!skb)
 					goto nomem;
- 				ap->rpkt = skb;
- 			}
- 			if (skb->len == 0) {
- 				/* Try to get the payload 4-byte aligned.
- 				 * This should match the
- 				 * PPP_ALLSTATIONS/PPP_UI/compressed tests in
- 				 * process_input_packet, but we do not have
- 				 * enough chars here to test buf[1] and buf[2].
- 				 */
+				ap->rpkt = skb;
+			}
+			if (skb->len == 0) {
+				/* Try to get the payload 4-byte aligned.
+				 * This should match the
+				 * PPP_ALLSTATIONS/PPP_UI/compressed tests in
+				 * process_input_packet, but we do not have
+				 * enough chars here to test buf[1] and buf[2].
+				 */
 				if (buf[0] != PPP_ALLSTATIONS)
 					skb_reserve(skb, 2 + (buf[0] & 1));
 			}