diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
index 0d8a05f..ec6d47d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
@@ -1168,6 +1168,15 @@ static void axienet_dma_rx_cb(void *data, const struct dmaengine_result *result)
 						       &meta_max_len);
 	dma_unmap_single(lp->dev, skbuf_dma->dma_address, lp->max_frm_size,
 			 DMA_FROM_DEVICE);
+
+	if (IS_ERR(app_metadata)) {
+		if (net_ratelimit())
+			netdev_err(lp->ndev, "Failed to get RX metadata pointer\n");
+		dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
+		lp->ndev->stats.rx_dropped++;
+		goto rx_submit;
+	}
+
 	/* TODO: Derive app word index programmatically */
 	rx_len = (app_metadata[LEN_APP] & 0xFFFF);
 	skb_put(skb, rx_len);
@@ -1180,6 +1189,7 @@ static void axienet_dma_rx_cb(void *data, const struct dmaengine_result *result)
 	u64_stats_add(&lp->rx_bytes, rx_len);
 	u64_stats_update_end(&lp->rx_stat_sync);
 
+rx_submit:
 	for (i = 0; i < CIRC_SPACE(lp->rx_ring_head, lp->rx_ring_tail,
 				   RX_BUF_NUM_DEFAULT); i++)
 		axienet_rx_submit_desc(lp->ndev);