diff --git a/datapath/datapath.c b/datapath/datapath.c
index 5633dc9c9..b25b8996e 100644
--- a/datapath/datapath.c
+++ b/datapath/datapath.c
@@ -711,13 +711,13 @@ static int odp_packet_cmd_execute(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	else
 		packet->protocol = htons(ETH_P_802_2);
 
+	/* Initialize OVS_CB (it came from Netlink so might not be zeroed). */
+	memset(OVS_CB(packet), 0, sizeof(struct ovs_skb_cb));
+
 	err = flow_extract(packet, -1, &key, &is_frag);
 	if (err)
 		goto exit;
 
-	/* Initialize OVS_CB (it came from Netlink so might not be zeroed). */
-	memset(OVS_CB(packet), 0, sizeof(struct ovs_skb_cb));
-
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	dp = get_dp(odp_header->dp_ifindex);
 	err = -ENODEV;