diff --git a/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c b/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c
index 4bdd81edcb87..f9caa1a653c5 100644
--- a/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c
+++ b/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c
@@ -1955,15 +1955,6 @@ static int ntb_process_tx(struct ntb_transport_qp *qp,
 		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
-	if (entry->len > qp->tx_max_frame - sizeof(struct ntb_payload_header)) {
-		if (qp->tx_handler)
-			qp->tx_handler(qp, qp->cb_data, NULL, -EIO);
-
-		ntb_list_add(&qp->ntb_tx_free_q_lock, &entry->entry,
-			     &qp->tx_free_q);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 	ntb_async_tx(qp, entry);
 
 	qp->tx_pkts++;
@@ -2356,6 +2347,9 @@ int ntb_transport_tx_enqueue(struct ntb_transport_qp *qp, void *cb, void *data,
 	if (!qp->link_is_up)
 		return -ENOLINK;
 
+	if (len > qp->tx_max_frame - sizeof(struct ntb_payload_header))
+		return -EMSGSIZE;
+
 	entry = ntb_list_rm(&qp->ntb_tx_free_q_lock, &qp->tx_free_q);
 	if (!entry) {
 		qp->tx_err_no_buf++;