diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ipsec.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ipsec.c
index 13a6fca31004..866024f2b9ee 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ipsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ipsec.c
@@ -914,7 +914,13 @@ int ixgbe_ipsec_vf_add_sa(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter, u32 *msgbuf, u32 vf)
 		goto err_out;
 	}
 
-	xs = kzalloc(sizeof(*xs), GFP_KERNEL);
+	algo = xfrm_aead_get_byname(aes_gcm_name, IXGBE_IPSEC_AUTH_BITS, 1);
+	if (unlikely(!algo)) {
+		err = -ENOENT;
+		goto err_out;
+	}
+
+	xs = kzalloc(sizeof(*xs), GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (unlikely(!xs)) {
 		err = -ENOMEM;
 		goto err_out;
@@ -930,14 +936,8 @@ int ixgbe_ipsec_vf_add_sa(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter, u32 *msgbuf, u32 vf)
 		memcpy(&xs->id.daddr.a4, sam->addr, sizeof(xs->id.daddr.a4));
 	xs->xso.dev = adapter->netdev;
 
-	algo = xfrm_aead_get_byname(aes_gcm_name, IXGBE_IPSEC_AUTH_BITS, 1);
-	if (unlikely(!algo)) {
-		err = -ENOENT;
-		goto err_xs;
-	}
-
 	aead_len = sizeof(*xs->aead) + IXGBE_IPSEC_KEY_BITS / 8;
-	xs->aead = kzalloc(aead_len, GFP_KERNEL);
+	xs->aead = kzalloc(aead_len, GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (unlikely(!xs->aead)) {
 		err = -ENOMEM;
 		goto err_xs;