diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c
index 9b7819fdc9ded2e3f166107f09719aa2b43a94ba..fb6f813cff65dcb7f608d4e1b859be9f38a6b13d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c
@@ -1192,6 +1192,11 @@ static void send_rx_ctrl_cmd(struct lio *lio, int start_stop)
 	sc = (struct octeon_soft_command *)
 		octeon_alloc_soft_command(oct, OCTNET_CMD_SIZE,
 					  16, 0);
+	if (!sc) {
+		netif_info(lio, rx_err, lio->netdev,
+			   "Failed to allocate octeon_soft_command\n");
+		return;
+	}
 
 	ncmd = (union octnet_cmd *)sc->virtdptr;