diff --git a/net/can/j1939/transport.c b/net/can/j1939/transport.c
index 4be73de5033c..50d96015c125 100644
--- a/net/can/j1939/transport.c
+++ b/net/can/j1939/transport.c
@@ -278,7 +278,8 @@ static void j1939_session_destroy(struct j1939_session *session)
 
 	while ((skb = skb_dequeue(&session->skb_queue)) != NULL) {
 		/* drop ref taken in j1939_session_skb_queue() */
-		skb_unref(skb);
+		if (skb_unref(skb) && IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEBUG_NET))
+			skb_get(skb);
 		kfree_skb(skb);
 	}
 	__j1939_session_drop(session);