diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/rmnet/rmnet_config.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/rmnet/rmnet_config.c
index 06de59521fc4..471e3b2a1403 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/rmnet/rmnet_config.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/rmnet/rmnet_config.c
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@ static int rmnet_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	int err = 0;
 	u16 mux_id;
 
+	if (!tb[IFLA_LINK]) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "link not specified");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	real_dev = __dev_get_by_index(src_net, nla_get_u32(tb[IFLA_LINK]));
 	if (!real_dev || !dev)
 		return -ENODEV;