diff --git a/net/tipc/msg.c b/net/tipc/msg.c
index 911b8f431985..4b9a92002836 100644
--- a/net/tipc/msg.c
+++ b/net/tipc/msg.c
@@ -154,6 +154,11 @@ int tipc_buf_append(struct sk_buff **headbuf, struct sk_buff **buf)
 	if (!head)
 		goto err;
 
+	/* Either the input skb ownership is transferred to headskb
+	 * or the input skb is freed, clear the reference to avoid
+	 * bad access on error path.
+	 */
+	*buf = NULL;
 	if (skb_try_coalesce(head, frag, &headstolen, &delta)) {
 		kfree_skb_partial(frag, headstolen);
 	} else {
@@ -177,7 +182,6 @@ int tipc_buf_append(struct sk_buff **headbuf, struct sk_buff **buf)
 		*headbuf = NULL;
 		return 1;
 	}
-	*buf = NULL;
 	return 0;
 err:
 	kfree_skb(*buf);