diff --git a/net/core/pktgen.c b/net/core/pktgen.c
index 0e472f6fab8538..359e24c3f22cab 100644
--- a/net/core/pktgen.c
+++ b/net/core/pktgen.c
@@ -850,6 +850,9 @@ static ssize_t get_imix_entries(const char __user *buffer,
 		unsigned long weight;
 		unsigned long size;
 
+		if (pkt_dev->n_imix_entries >= MAX_IMIX_ENTRIES)
+			return -E2BIG;
+
 		len = num_arg(&buffer[i], max_digits, &size);
 		if (len < 0)
 			return len;
@@ -879,9 +882,6 @@ static ssize_t get_imix_entries(const char __user *buffer,
 
 		i++;
 		pkt_dev->n_imix_entries++;
-
-		if (pkt_dev->n_imix_entries > MAX_IMIX_ENTRIES)
-			return -E2BIG;
 	} while (c == ' ');
 
 	return i;