diff --git a/net/tipc/link.c b/net/tipc/link.c
index 9efbdbde2b08..fa452fb5f34e 100644
--- a/net/tipc/link.c
+++ b/net/tipc/link.c
@@ -1260,6 +1260,8 @@ static int tipc_link_proto_rcv(struct tipc_link *l, struct sk_buff *skb,
 		/* fall thru' */
 
 	case ACTIVATE_MSG:
+		skb_linearize(skb);
+		hdr = buf_msg(skb);
 
 		/* Complete own link name with peer's interface name */
 		if_name =  strrchr(l->name, ':') + 1;
diff --git a/net/tipc/name_distr.c b/net/tipc/name_distr.c
index c07612bab95c..f51c8bdbea1c 100644
--- a/net/tipc/name_distr.c
+++ b/net/tipc/name_distr.c
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ void tipc_named_rcv(struct net *net, struct sk_buff_head *inputq)
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&tn->nametbl_lock);
 	for (skb = skb_dequeue(inputq); skb; skb = skb_dequeue(inputq)) {
+		skb_linearize(skb);
 		msg = buf_msg(skb);
 		mtype = msg_type(msg);
 		item = (struct distr_item *)msg_data(msg);
diff --git a/net/tipc/udp_media.c b/net/tipc/udp_media.c
index ad2719ad4c1b..816914ef228d 100644
--- a/net/tipc/udp_media.c
+++ b/net/tipc/udp_media.c
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
 #include <linux/tipc_netlink.h>
 #include "core.h"
 #include "bearer.h"
-#include "msg.h"
 
 /* IANA assigned UDP port */
 #define UDP_PORT_DEFAULT	6118
@@ -221,10 +220,6 @@ static int tipc_udp_recv(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	struct udp_bearer *ub;
 	struct tipc_bearer *b;
-	int usr = msg_user(buf_msg(skb));
-
-	if ((usr == LINK_PROTOCOL) || (usr == NAME_DISTRIBUTOR))
-		skb_linearize(skb);
 
 	ub = rcu_dereference_sk_user_data(sk);
 	if (!ub) {