diff --git a/drivers/net/xen-netback/rx.c b/drivers/net/xen-netback/rx.c
index dbac4c03d21a14d12a2eee9e7b3418c9cc184d88..a0335407be423111d738358835282b143f8afafb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/rx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/rx.c
@@ -495,6 +495,7 @@ void xenvif_rx_action(struct xenvif_queue *queue)
 	queue->rx_copy.completed = &completed_skbs;
 
 	while (xenvif_rx_ring_slots_available(queue) &&
+	       !skb_queue_empty(&queue->rx_queue) &&
 	       work_done < RX_BATCH_SIZE) {
 		xenvif_rx_skb(queue);
 		work_done++;