diff --git a/kernel/audit.c b/kernel/audit.c
index bd7474fd8d2c..707483879648 100644
--- a/kernel/audit.c
+++ b/kernel/audit.c
@@ -1831,11 +1831,12 @@ static struct audit_buffer *audit_buffer_alloc(struct audit_context *ctx,
        if (!ab)
                return NULL;
 
+       skb_queue_head_init(&ab->skb_list);
+
        ab->skb = nlmsg_new(AUDIT_BUFSIZ, gfp_mask);
        if (!ab->skb)
                goto err;
 
-       skb_queue_head_init(&ab->skb_list);
        skb_queue_tail(&ab->skb_list, ab->skb);
 
        if (!nlmsg_put(ab->skb, 0, 0, type, 0, 0))