diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ptp.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ptp.c
index 44ac9aef6a8d..8b527d79d429 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ptp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_ptp.c
@@ -512,10 +512,6 @@ static void ixgbe_ptp_tx_hwtstamp_work(struct work_struct *work)
 					      IXGBE_PTP_TX_TIMEOUT);
 	u32 tsynctxctl;
 
-	/* we have to have a valid skb */
-	if (!adapter->ptp_tx_skb)
-		return;
-
 	if (timeout) {
 		dev_kfree_skb_any(adapter->ptp_tx_skb);
 		adapter->ptp_tx_skb = NULL;