diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/3com/3c509.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/3com/3c509.c
index c53384d41c96..35df0b9e6848 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/3com/3c509.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/3com/3c509.c
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ el3_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&lp->lock, flags);
 
-	dev_kfree_skb (skb);
+	dev_consume_skb_any (skb);
 
 	/* Clear the Tx status stack. */
 	{