diff --git a/net/ipv4/ip_input.c b/net/ipv4/ip_input.c
index c59a78a267c3..24a95126e698 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ip_input.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ip_input.c
@@ -611,5 +611,6 @@ void ip_list_rcv(struct list_head *head, struct packet_type *pt,
 		list_add_tail(&skb->list, &sublist);
 	}
 	/* dispatch final sublist */
-	ip_sublist_rcv(&sublist, curr_dev, curr_net);
+	if (!list_empty(&sublist))
+		ip_sublist_rcv(&sublist, curr_dev, curr_net);
 }
diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c b/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c
index 3d71c7d6102c..ef7f707d9ae3 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c
@@ -325,7 +325,8 @@ void ipv6_list_rcv(struct list_head *head, struct packet_type *pt,
 		list_add_tail(&skb->list, &sublist);
 	}
 	/* dispatch final sublist */
-	ip6_sublist_rcv(&sublist, curr_dev, curr_net);
+	if (!list_empty(&sublist))
+		ip6_sublist_rcv(&sublist, curr_dev, curr_net);
 }
 
 INDIRECT_CALLABLE_DECLARE(int udpv6_rcv(struct sk_buff *));