diff --git a/sys/dev/sge/if_sge.c b/sys/dev/sge/if_sge.c
index db6ae16b13c0..9248da32c4b9 100644
--- a/sys/dev/sge/if_sge.c
+++ b/sys/dev/sge/if_sge.c
@@ -1588,7 +1588,8 @@ sge_start_locked(struct ifnet *ifp)
 		if (m_head == NULL)
 			break;
 		if (sge_encap(sc, &m_head)) {
-			IFQ_DRV_PREPEND(&ifp->if_snd, m_head);
+			if (m_head != NULL)
+				IFQ_DRV_PREPEND(&ifp->if_snd, m_head);
 			ifp->if_drv_flags |= IFF_DRV_OACTIVE;
 			break;
 		}