diff --git a/net/tipc/link.c b/net/tipc/link.c
index 06b880da2a8e..c92e6984933c 100644
--- a/net/tipc/link.c
+++ b/net/tipc/link.c
@@ -996,7 +996,6 @@ void tipc_link_reset(struct tipc_link *l)
 int tipc_link_xmit(struct tipc_link *l, struct sk_buff_head *list,
 		   struct sk_buff_head *xmitq)
 {
-	struct tipc_msg *hdr = buf_msg(skb_peek(list));
 	struct sk_buff_head *backlogq = &l->backlogq;
 	struct sk_buff_head *transmq = &l->transmq;
 	struct sk_buff *skb, *_skb;
@@ -1004,13 +1003,18 @@ int tipc_link_xmit(struct tipc_link *l, struct sk_buff_head *list,
 	u16 ack = l->rcv_nxt - 1;
 	u16 seqno = l->snd_nxt;
 	int pkt_cnt = skb_queue_len(list);
-	int imp = msg_importance(hdr);
 	unsigned int mss = tipc_link_mss(l);
 	unsigned int cwin = l->window;
 	unsigned int mtu = l->mtu;
+	struct tipc_msg *hdr;
 	bool new_bundle;
 	int rc = 0;
+	int imp;
 
+	if (pkt_cnt <= 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	hdr = buf_msg(skb_peek(list));
 	if (unlikely(msg_size(hdr) > mtu)) {
 		pr_warn("Too large msg, purging xmit list %d %d %d %d %d!\n",
 			skb_queue_len(list), msg_user(hdr),
@@ -1019,6 +1023,7 @@ int tipc_link_xmit(struct tipc_link *l, struct sk_buff_head *list,
 		return -EMSGSIZE;
 	}
 
+	imp = msg_importance(hdr);
 	/* Allow oversubscription of one data msg per source at congestion */
 	if (unlikely(l->backlog[imp].len >= l->backlog[imp].limit)) {
 		if (imp == TIPC_SYSTEM_IMPORTANCE) {