diff --git a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
index 818400fddc9b..9708fff318d5 100644
--- a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 #include <asm/cacheflush.h>
 #include <linux/hash.h>
 #include <linux/genetlink.h>
+#include <linux/nospec.h>
 
 #include <net/net_namespace.h>
 #include <net/sock.h>
@@ -654,6 +655,7 @@ static int netlink_create(struct net *net, struct socket *sock, int protocol,
 
 	if (protocol < 0 || protocol >= MAX_LINKS)
 		return -EPROTONOSUPPORT;
+	protocol = array_index_nospec(protocol, MAX_LINKS);
 
 	netlink_lock_table();
 #ifdef CONFIG_MODULES