diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_etop.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_etop.c
index 3c289bfe0a092..7179271f63b65 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_etop.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/lantiq_etop.c
@@ -481,7 +481,9 @@ ltq_etop_tx(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	u32 byte_offset;
 
-	len = skb->len < ETH_ZLEN ? ETH_ZLEN : skb->len;
+	if (skb_put_padto(skb, ETH_ZLEN))
+		return NETDEV_TX_OK;
+	len = skb->len;
 
 	if ((desc->ctl & (LTQ_DMA_OWN | LTQ_DMA_C)) || ch->skb[ch->dma.desc]) {
 		netdev_err(dev, "tx ring full\n");