diff --git a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
index 2eafcffb5f8e38..95700e3494630d 100644
--- a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
@@ -990,6 +990,9 @@ static int netlink_connect(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr *addr,
 	if (addr->sa_family != AF_NETLINK)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (alen < sizeof(struct sockaddr_nl))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if ((nladdr->nl_groups || nladdr->nl_pid) &&
 	    !netlink_allowed(sock, NL_CFG_F_NONROOT_SEND))
 		return -EPERM;