diff --git a/net/core/pktgen.c b/net/core/pktgen.c
index b678b28dedae..def35a734d9d 100644
--- a/net/core/pktgen.c
+++ b/net/core/pktgen.c
@@ -900,6 +900,10 @@ static ssize_t get_labels(const char __user *buffer, struct pktgen_dev *pkt_dev)
 	pkt_dev->nr_labels = 0;
 	do {
 		__u32 tmp;
+
+		if (n >= MAX_MPLS_LABELS)
+			return -E2BIG;
+
 		len = hex32_arg(&buffer[i], 8, &tmp);
 		if (len <= 0)
 			return len;
@@ -911,8 +915,6 @@ static ssize_t get_labels(const char __user *buffer, struct pktgen_dev *pkt_dev)
 			return -EFAULT;
 		i++;
 		n++;
-		if (n >= MAX_MPLS_LABELS)
-			return -E2BIG;
 	} while (c == ',');
 
 	pkt_dev->nr_labels = n;