diff --git a/net/sched/sch_fq_codel.c b/net/sched/sch_fq_codel.c
index 839e1235db05..e60e5e6cc096 100644
--- a/net/sched/sch_fq_codel.c
+++ b/net/sched/sch_fq_codel.c
@@ -117,8 +117,10 @@ static inline struct sk_buff *dequeue_head(struct fq_codel_flow *flow)
 {
 	struct sk_buff *skb = flow->head;
 
-	flow->head = skb->next;
-	skb_mark_not_on_list(skb);
+	if (skb) {
+		flow->head = skb->next;
+		skb_mark_not_on_list(skb);
+	}
 	return skb;
 }
 
@@ -166,9 +168,11 @@ static unsigned int fq_codel_drop(struct Qdisc *sch, unsigned int max_packets,
 	i = 0;
 	do {
 		skb = dequeue_head(flow);
-		len += qdisc_pkt_len(skb);
-		mem += get_codel_cb(skb)->mem_usage;
-		__qdisc_drop(skb, to_free);
+		if (skb) {
+			len += qdisc_pkt_len(skb);
+			mem += get_codel_cb(skb)->mem_usage;
+			__qdisc_drop(skb, to_free);
+		}
 	} while (++i < max_packets && len < threshold);
 
 	/* Tell codel to increase its signal strength also */