diff --git a/sys/netinet/if_ether.c b/sys/netinet/if_ether.c
index c5238cfc7ef6..34f820d6291e 100644
--- a/sys/netinet/if_ether.c
+++ b/sys/netinet/if_ether.c
@@ -530,11 +530,13 @@ arpintr(struct mbuf *m)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (m->m_pkthdr.len < arphdr_len(ar) &&
-	    (m = m_pullup(m, arphdr_len(ar))) == NULL) {
-		log(LOG_ERR, "arp: runt packet\n");
-		m_freem(m);
-		return;
+	if (m->m_pkthdr.len < arphdr_len(ar)) {
+		if ((m = m_pullup(m, arphdr_len(ar))) == NULL) {
+			log(LOG_ERR, "arp: runt packet\n");
+			m_freem(m);
+			return;
+		}
+		ar = mtod(m, struct arphdr *);
 	}
 
 	switch (ntohs(ar->ar_pro)) {