diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index 3dfdf83e6e45..bb1a27384077 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -3076,9 +3076,12 @@ replay:
 		ifname[0] = '\0';
 
 	ifm = nlmsg_data(nlh);
-	if (ifm->ifi_index > 0)
+	if (ifm->ifi_index > 0) {
 		dev = __dev_get_by_index(net, ifm->ifi_index);
-	else {
+	} else if (ifm->ifi_index < 0) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "ifindex can't be negative");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	} else {
 		if (ifname[0])
 			dev = __dev_get_by_name(net, ifname);
 		else