diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
index 18044c2a36fa..d30bc38725e9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
@@ -13140,6 +13140,8 @@ static int i40e_ndo_bridge_setlink(struct net_device *dev,
 	}
 
 	br_spec = nlmsg_find_attr(nlh, sizeof(struct ifinfomsg), IFLA_AF_SPEC);
+	if (!br_spec)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	nla_for_each_nested(attr, br_spec, rem) {
 		__u16 mode;