diff --git a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
index 7d860a22e5fb..c09d16870f74 100644
--- a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
 #include <linux/hash.h>
 #include <linux/genetlink.h>
 #include <linux/net_namespace.h>
+#include <linux/nospec.h>
 
 #include <net/net_namespace.h>
 #include <net/netns/generic.h>
@@ -679,6 +680,7 @@ static int netlink_create(struct net *net, struct socket *sock, int protocol,
 
 	if (protocol < 0 || protocol >= MAX_LINKS)
 		return -EPROTONOSUPPORT;
+	protocol = array_index_nospec(protocol, MAX_LINKS);
 
 	netlink_lock_table();
 #ifdef CONFIG_MODULES