diff --git a/sys/net/if_bridge.c b/sys/net/if_bridge.c
index 19d8d8964d92..51ee9d299067 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_bridge.c
+++ b/sys/net/if_bridge.c
@@ -1393,9 +1393,9 @@ bridge_ioctl_gifs(struct bridge_softc *sc, void *arg)
 		bifc->ifbic_len = buflen;
 		return (0);
 	}
-	BRIDGE_UNLOCK(sc);
-	outbuf = malloc(buflen, M_TEMP, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
-	BRIDGE_LOCK(sc);
+	outbuf = malloc(buflen, M_TEMP, M_NOWAIT | M_ZERO);
+	if (outbuf == NULL)
+		return (ENOMEM);
 
 	count = 0;
 	buf = outbuf;
@@ -1455,9 +1455,9 @@ bridge_ioctl_rts(struct bridge_softc *sc, void *arg)
 		count++;
 	buflen = sizeof(bareq) * count;
 
-	BRIDGE_UNLOCK(sc);
-	outbuf = malloc(buflen, M_TEMP, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
-	BRIDGE_LOCK(sc);
+	outbuf = malloc(buflen, M_TEMP, M_NOWAIT | M_ZERO);
+	if (outbuf == NULL)
+		return (ENOMEM);
 
 	count = 0;
 	buf = outbuf;
@@ -1783,9 +1783,9 @@ bridge_ioctl_gifsstp(struct bridge_softc *sc, void *arg)
 		return (0);
 	}
 
-	BRIDGE_UNLOCK(sc);
-	outbuf = malloc(buflen, M_TEMP, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
-	BRIDGE_LOCK(sc);
+	outbuf = malloc(buflen, M_TEMP, M_NOWAIT | M_ZERO);
+	if (outbuf == NULL)
+		return (ENOMEM);
 
 	count = 0;
 	buf = outbuf;