diff --git a/sys/net/iflib.c b/sys/net/iflib.c
index bf361955ddf0..b71da1fdfc83 100644
--- a/sys/net/iflib.c
+++ b/sys/net/iflib.c
@@ -3636,7 +3636,8 @@ iflib_txq_drain(struct ifmp_ring *r, uint32_t cidx, uint32_t pidx)
 	if (__predict_false(ctx->ifc_flags & IFC_QFLUSH)) {
 		DBG_COUNTER_INC(txq_drain_flushing);
 		for (i = 0; i < avail; i++) {
-			m_free(r->items[(cidx + i) & (r->size-1)]);
+			if (__predict_true(r->items[(cidx + i) & (r->size-1)] != (void *)txq)
+				m_free(r->items[(cidx + i) & (r->size-1)]);
 			r->items[(cidx + i) & (r->size-1)] = NULL;
 		}
 		return (avail);