diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index baa323ca37c4..fd6d2430d40f 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -3560,6 +3560,9 @@ replay:
 	if (ifm->ifi_index > 0) {
 		link_specified = true;
 		dev = __dev_get_by_index(net, ifm->ifi_index);
+	} else if (ifm->ifi_index < 0) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "ifindex can't be negative");
+		return -EINVAL;
 	} else if (tb[IFLA_IFNAME] || tb[IFLA_ALT_IFNAME]) {
 		link_specified = true;
 		dev = rtnl_dev_get(net, tb);