diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ncm.c b/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ncm.c
index 15f91d691bba35..dd7469d310c34d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ncm.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ncm.c
@@ -180,9 +180,12 @@ static u32 cdc_ncm_check_tx_max(struct usbnet *dev, u32 new_tx)
 	else
 		min = ctx->max_datagram_size + ctx->max_ndp_size + sizeof(struct usb_cdc_ncm_nth32);
 
-	max = min_t(u32, CDC_NCM_NTB_MAX_SIZE_TX, le32_to_cpu(ctx->ncm_parm.dwNtbOutMaxSize));
-	if (max == 0)
+	if (le32_to_cpu(ctx->ncm_parm.dwNtbOutMaxSize) == 0)
 		max = CDC_NCM_NTB_MAX_SIZE_TX; /* dwNtbOutMaxSize not set */
+	else
+		max = clamp_t(u32, le32_to_cpu(ctx->ncm_parm.dwNtbOutMaxSize),
+			      USB_CDC_NCM_NTB_MIN_OUT_SIZE,
+			      CDC_NCM_NTB_MAX_SIZE_TX);
 
 	/* some devices set dwNtbOutMaxSize too low for the above default */
 	min = min(min, max);
@@ -1243,6 +1246,9 @@ cdc_ncm_fill_tx_frame(struct usbnet *dev, struct sk_buff *skb, __le32 sign)
 			 * further.
 			 */
 			if (skb_out == NULL) {
+				/* If even the smallest allocation fails, abort. */
+				if (ctx->tx_curr_size == USB_CDC_NCM_NTB_MIN_OUT_SIZE)
+					goto alloc_failed;
 				ctx->tx_low_mem_max_cnt = min(ctx->tx_low_mem_max_cnt + 1,
 							      (unsigned)CDC_NCM_LOW_MEM_MAX_CNT);
 				ctx->tx_low_mem_val = ctx->tx_low_mem_max_cnt;
@@ -1261,13 +1267,8 @@ cdc_ncm_fill_tx_frame(struct usbnet *dev, struct sk_buff *skb, __le32 sign)
 			skb_out = alloc_skb(ctx->tx_curr_size, GFP_ATOMIC);
 
 			/* No allocation possible so we will abort */
-			if (skb_out == NULL) {
-				if (skb != NULL) {
-					dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
-					dev->net->stats.tx_dropped++;
-				}
-				goto exit_no_skb;
-			}
+			if (!skb_out)
+				goto alloc_failed;
 			ctx->tx_low_mem_val--;
 		}
 		if (ctx->is_ndp16) {
@@ -1460,6 +1461,11 @@ cdc_ncm_fill_tx_frame(struct usbnet *dev, struct sk_buff *skb, __le32 sign)
 
 	return skb_out;
 
+alloc_failed:
+	if (skb) {
+		dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
+		dev->net->stats.tx_dropped++;
+	}
 exit_no_skb:
 	/* Start timer, if there is a remaining non-empty skb */
 	if (ctx->tx_curr_skb != NULL && n > 0)