diff --git a/drivers/net/can/flexcan/flexcan-core.c b/drivers/net/can/flexcan/flexcan-core.c
index f857968efed7d..ccb438eca517d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/flexcan/flexcan-core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/flexcan/flexcan-core.c
@@ -941,11 +941,6 @@ static struct sk_buff *flexcan_mailbox_read(struct can_rx_offload *offload,
 	u32 reg_ctrl, reg_id, reg_iflag1;
 	int i;
 
-	if (unlikely(drop)) {
-		skb = ERR_PTR(-ENOBUFS);
-		goto mark_as_read;
-	}
-
 	mb = flexcan_get_mb(priv, n);
 
 	if (priv->devtype_data.quirks & FLEXCAN_QUIRK_USE_RX_MAILBOX) {
@@ -974,6 +969,11 @@ static struct sk_buff *flexcan_mailbox_read(struct can_rx_offload *offload,
 		reg_ctrl = priv->read(&mb->can_ctrl);
 	}
 
+	if (unlikely(drop)) {
+		skb = ERR_PTR(-ENOBUFS);
+		goto mark_as_read;
+	}
+
 	if (reg_ctrl & FLEXCAN_MB_CNT_EDL)
 		skb = alloc_canfd_skb(offload->dev, &cfd);
 	else