diff --git a/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe.c b/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe.c
index b3b9352e1af7..174c08da104a 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe.c
@@ -3642,7 +3642,7 @@ ixgbe_setup_receive_ring(struct rx_ring *rxr)
 			goto skip_head;
 
 		/* First the header */
-		rxbuf->m_head = m_gethdr(M_WAITOK, MT_DATA);
+		rxbuf->m_head = m_gethdr(M_NOWAIT, MT_DATA);
 		if (rxbuf->m_head == NULL) {
 			error = ENOBUFS;
 			goto fail;
@@ -3664,7 +3664,7 @@ ixgbe_setup_receive_ring(struct rx_ring *rxr)
 
 skip_head:
 		/* Now the payload cluster */
-		rxbuf->m_pack = m_getjcl(M_WAITOK, MT_DATA,
+		rxbuf->m_pack = m_getjcl(M_NOWAIT, MT_DATA,
 		    M_PKTHDR, adapter->rx_mbuf_sz);
 		if (rxbuf->m_pack == NULL) {
 			error = ENOBUFS;