diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/orinoco/orinoco_usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/orinoco/orinoco_usb.c
index 046f2453ad5d..8419e13a79e2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/orinoco/orinoco_usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/orinoco/orinoco_usb.c
@@ -1221,13 +1221,6 @@ static netdev_tx_t ezusb_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	if (skb->len < ETH_HLEN)
 		goto drop;
 
-	ctx = ezusb_alloc_ctx(upriv, EZUSB_RID_TX, 0);
-	if (!ctx)
-		goto busy;
-
-	memset(ctx->buf, 0, BULK_BUF_SIZE);
-	buf = ctx->buf->data;
-
 	tx_control = 0;
 
 	err = orinoco_process_xmit_skb(skb, dev, priv, &tx_control,
@@ -1235,6 +1228,13 @@ static netdev_tx_t ezusb_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	if (err)
 		goto drop;
 
+	ctx = ezusb_alloc_ctx(upriv, EZUSB_RID_TX, 0);
+	if (!ctx)
+		goto drop;
+
+	memset(ctx->buf, 0, BULK_BUF_SIZE);
+	buf = ctx->buf->data;
+
 	{
 		__le16 *tx_cntl = (__le16 *)buf;
 		*tx_cntl = cpu_to_le16(tx_control);