diff --git a/net/dcb/dcbnl.c b/net/dcb/dcbnl.c
index 712ca026040a..d5074a567289 100644
--- a/net/dcb/dcbnl.c
+++ b/net/dcb/dcbnl.c
@@ -626,6 +626,9 @@ static int dcbnl_getapp(struct net_device *netdev, struct nlattr **tb,
 	dcb->cmd = DCB_CMD_GAPP;
 
 	app_nest = nla_nest_start(dcbnl_skb, DCB_ATTR_APP);
+	if (!app_nest)
+		goto out_cancel;
+
 	ret = nla_put_u8(dcbnl_skb, DCB_APP_ATTR_IDTYPE, idtype);
 	if (ret)
 		goto out_cancel;