diff --git a/include/net/mctp.h b/include/net/mctp.h
index 82800d521c3d..7ed84054f462 100644
--- a/include/net/mctp.h
+++ b/include/net/mctp.h
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ struct mctp_route {
 struct mctp_route *mctp_route_lookup(struct net *net, unsigned int dnet,
 				     mctp_eid_t daddr);
 
+/* always takes ownership of skb */
 int mctp_local_output(struct sock *sk, struct mctp_route *rt,
 		      struct sk_buff *skb, mctp_eid_t daddr, u8 req_tag);
 
diff --git a/net/mctp/route.c b/net/mctp/route.c
index 256bf0b89e6c..0144d8ebdaef 100644
--- a/net/mctp/route.c
+++ b/net/mctp/route.c
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ int mctp_local_output(struct sock *sk, struct mctp_route *rt,
 		dev = dev_get_by_index_rcu(sock_net(sk), cb->ifindex);
 		if (!dev) {
 			rcu_read_unlock();
-			return rc;
+			goto out_free;
 		}
 		rt->dev = __mctp_dev_get(dev);
 		rcu_read_unlock();
@@ -903,7 +903,8 @@ int mctp_local_output(struct sock *sk, struct mctp_route *rt,
 		rt->mtu = 0;
 
 	} else {
-		return -EINVAL;
+		rc = -EINVAL;
+		goto out_free;
 	}
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&rt->dev->addrs_lock, flags);
@@ -966,12 +967,17 @@ int mctp_local_output(struct sock *sk, struct mctp_route *rt,
 		rc = mctp_do_fragment_route(rt, skb, mtu, tag);
 	}
 
+	/* route output functions consume the skb, even on error */
+	skb = NULL;
+
 out_release:
 	if (!ext_rt)
 		mctp_route_release(rt);
 
 	mctp_dev_put(tmp_rt.dev);
 
+out_free:
+	kfree_skb(skb);
 	return rc;
 }