diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c
index b6e049a3c7a..a481094af85 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c
@@ -887,7 +887,9 @@ struct ipoib_neigh *ipoib_neigh_get(struct net_device *dev, u8 *daddr)
 				neigh = NULL;
 				goto out_unlock;
 			}
-			neigh->alive = jiffies;
+
+			if (likely(skb_queue_len(&neigh->queue) < IPOIB_MAX_PATH_REC_QUEUE))
+				neigh->alive = jiffies;
 			goto out_unlock;
 		}
 	}