diff --git a/net/tipc/link.c b/net/tipc/link.c
index 8f2ee71c63c6..cb8ad594fedd 100644
--- a/net/tipc/link.c
+++ b/net/tipc/link.c
@@ -2033,6 +2033,17 @@ static int tipc_link_proto_rcv(struct tipc_link *l, struct sk_buff *skb,
 		break;
 
 	case STATE_MSG:
+		/* Receive Gap ACK blocks from peer if any */
+		if (l->peer_caps & TIPC_GAP_ACK_BLOCK) {
+			ga = (struct tipc_gap_ack_blks *)data;
+			glen = ntohs(ga->len);
+			/* sanity check: if failed, ignore Gap ACK blocks */
+			if (glen != tipc_gap_ack_blks_sz(ga->gack_cnt))
+				ga = NULL;
+		}
+		if(glen > dlen)
+			break;
+
 		l->rcv_nxt_state = msg_seqno(hdr) + 1;
 
 		/* Update own tolerance if peer indicates a non-zero value */
@@ -2058,16 +2069,6 @@ static int tipc_link_proto_rcv(struct tipc_link *l, struct sk_buff *skb,
 			break;
 		}
 
-		/* Receive Gap ACK blocks from peer if any */
-		if (l->peer_caps & TIPC_GAP_ACK_BLOCK) {
-			ga = (struct tipc_gap_ack_blks *)data;
-			glen = ntohs(ga->len);
-			/* sanity check: if failed, ignore Gap ACK blocks */
-			if (glen != tipc_gap_ack_blks_sz(ga->gack_cnt))
-				ga = NULL;
-		}
-		if(glen > dlen)
-			break;
 		tipc_mon_rcv(l->net, data + glen, dlen - glen, l->addr,
 			     &l->mon_state, l->bearer_id);