diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/netlink.h b/include/uapi/linux/netlink.h
index 5da0da59bf01..e2ae82e3f9f7 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/netlink.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/netlink.h
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ struct sockaddr_nl {
  * @nlmsg_flags: Additional flags
  * @nlmsg_seq:   Sequence number
  * @nlmsg_pid:   Sending process port ID
- * @nlmsg_data:  Message payload
  */
 struct nlmsghdr {
 	__u32		nlmsg_len;
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ struct nlmsghdr {
 	__u16		nlmsg_flags;
 	__u32		nlmsg_seq;
 	__u32		nlmsg_pid;
-	__u8		nlmsg_data[];
 };
 
 /* Flags values */
diff --git a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
index a572a30dfd98..cb833302270a 100644
--- a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
@@ -2458,7 +2458,7 @@ void netlink_ack(struct sk_buff *in_skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh, int err,
 		if (!nlmsg_append(skb, nlmsg_len(nlh)))
 			goto err_bad_put;
 
-		memcpy(errmsg->msg.nlmsg_data, nlh->nlmsg_data,
+		memcpy(nlmsg_data(&errmsg->msg), nlmsg_data(nlh),
 		       nlmsg_len(nlh));
 	}