diff --git a/dma.c b/dma.c
index a7510e42..7227f804 100644
--- a/dma.c
+++ b/dma.c
@@ -263,10 +263,13 @@ mt76_dma_tx_queue_skb_raw(struct mt76_dev *dev, enum mt76_txq_id qid,
 	struct mt76_queue_buf buf;
 	dma_addr_t addr;
 
+	if (q->queued + 1 >= q->ndesc - 1)
+		goto error;
+
 	addr = dma_map_single(dev->dev, skb->data, skb->len,
 			      DMA_TO_DEVICE);
 	if (unlikely(dma_mapping_error(dev->dev, addr)))
-		return -ENOMEM;
+		goto error;
 
 	buf.addr = addr;
 	buf.len = skb->len;
@@ -277,6 +280,10 @@ mt76_dma_tx_queue_skb_raw(struct mt76_dev *dev, enum mt76_txq_id qid,
 	spin_unlock_bh(&q->lock);
 
 	return 0;
+
+error:
+	dev_kfree_skb(skb);
+	return -ENOMEM;
 }
 
 static int