diff --git a/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c b/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c
index e6ff5128e61a..ca53efa17be1 100644
--- a/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c
+++ b/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c
@@ -265,9 +265,24 @@ netdev_tx_t lowpan_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *ldev)
 	/* We must take a copy of the skb before we modify/replace the ipv6
 	 * header as the header could be used elsewhere
 	 */
-	skb = skb_unshare(skb, GFP_ATOMIC);
-	if (!skb)
-		return NET_XMIT_DROP;
+	if (unlikely(skb_headroom(skb) < ldev->needed_headroom ||
+		     skb_tailroom(skb) < ldev->needed_tailroom)) {
+		struct sk_buff *nskb;
+
+		nskb = skb_copy_expand(skb, ldev->needed_headroom,
+				       ldev->needed_tailroom, GFP_ATOMIC);
+		if (likely(nskb)) {
+			consume_skb(skb);
+			skb = nskb;
+		} else {
+			kfree_skb(skb);
+			return NET_XMIT_DROP;
+		}
+	} else {
+		skb = skb_unshare(skb, GFP_ATOMIC);
+		if (!skb)
+			return NET_XMIT_DROP;
+	}
 
 	ret = lowpan_header(skb, ldev, &dgram_size, &dgram_offset);
 	if (ret < 0) {