BUG_ON(netif_queue_stopped(dev));
        BUG_ON(skb == NULL);
 
+       if (has_tiny_unaligned_frags(skb) && __skb_linearize(skb)) {
+               stats->tx_dropped++;
+               printk(KERN_DEBUG "%s: failed to linearize tiny "
+                               "unaligned fragment\n", dev->name);
+               return 1;
+       }
+
+       spin_lock_irqsave(&mp->lock, flags);
+
        if (mp->tx_ring_size - mp->tx_desc_count < MAX_DESCS_PER_SKB) {
                printk(KERN_ERR "%s: transmit with queue full\n", dev->name);
                netif_stop_queue(dev);
+               spin_unlock_irqrestore(&mp->lock, flags);
                return 1;
        }
 
-       if (has_tiny_unaligned_frags(skb)) {
-               if (__skb_linearize(skb)) {
-                       stats->tx_dropped++;
-                       printk(KERN_DEBUG "%s: failed to linearize tiny "
-                                       "unaligned fragment\n", dev->name);
-                       return 1;
-               }
-       }
-
-       spin_lock_irqsave(&mp->lock, flags);
-
        eth_tx_submit_descs_for_skb(mp, skb);
        stats->tx_bytes += skb->len;
        stats->tx_packets++;