diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/recv.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/recv.c
index da0cfe90c38a..a3fc987ebab0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/recv.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/recv.c
@@ -1140,6 +1140,11 @@ int ath_rx_tasklet(struct ath_softc *sc, int flush, bool hp)
 		if (flush)
 			goto requeue;
 
+		retval = ath9k_rx_skb_preprocess(common, hw, hdr, &rs,
+						 rxs, &decrypt_error);
+		if (retval)
+			goto requeue;
+
 		rxs->mactime = (tsf & ~0xffffffffULL) | rs.rs_tstamp;
 		if (rs.rs_tstamp > tsf_lower &&
 		    unlikely(rs.rs_tstamp - tsf_lower > 0x10000000))
@@ -1149,11 +1154,6 @@ int ath_rx_tasklet(struct ath_softc *sc, int flush, bool hp)
 		    unlikely(tsf_lower - rs.rs_tstamp > 0x10000000))
 			rxs->mactime += 0x100000000ULL;
 
-		retval = ath9k_rx_skb_preprocess(common, hw, hdr, &rs,
-						 rxs, &decrypt_error);
-		if (retval)
-			goto requeue;
-
 		/* Ensure we always have an skb to requeue once we are done
 		 * processing the current buffer's skb */
 		requeue_skb = ath_rxbuf_alloc(common, common->rx_bufsize, GFP_ATOMIC);