diff --git a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_codel.c b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_codel.c
--- a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_codel.c
+++ b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_codel.c
@@ -256,10 +256,8 @@
 	if (mtag == NULL)
 		mtag = m_tag_alloc(MTAG_ABI_COMPAT, DN_AQM_MTAG_TS,
 			sizeof(aqm_time_t), M_NOWAIT);
-	if (mtag == NULL) {
-		m_freem(m); 
+	if (mtag == NULL)
 		goto drop;
-	}
 
 	*(aqm_time_t *)(mtag + 1) = AQM_UNOW;
 	m_tag_prepend(m, mtag);
diff --git a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_pie.c b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_pie.c
--- a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_pie.c
+++ b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_aqm_pie.c
@@ -542,11 +542,11 @@
 			mtag = m_tag_alloc(MTAG_ABI_COMPAT, DN_AQM_MTAG_TS,
 				sizeof(aqm_time_t), M_NOWAIT);
 		if (mtag == NULL) {
-			m_freem(m); 
 			t = DROP;
+		} else {
+			*(aqm_time_t *)(mtag + 1) = AQM_UNOW;
+			m_tag_prepend(m, mtag);
 		}
-		*(aqm_time_t *)(mtag + 1) = AQM_UNOW;
-		m_tag_prepend(m, mtag);
 	}
 
 	if (t != DROP) {
diff --git a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_codel.c b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_codel.c
--- a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_codel.c
+++ b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_codel.c
@@ -189,10 +189,8 @@
 	if (mtag == NULL)
 		mtag = m_tag_alloc(MTAG_ABI_COMPAT, DN_AQM_MTAG_TS, sizeof(aqm_time_t),
 			M_NOWAIT);
-	if (mtag == NULL) {
-		m_freem(m); 
+	if (mtag == NULL)
 		goto drop;
-	}
 	*(aqm_time_t *)(mtag + 1) = AQM_UNOW;
 	m_tag_prepend(m, mtag);
 
diff --git a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_pie.c b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_pie.c
--- a/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_pie.c
+++ b/sys/netpfil/ipfw/dn_sched_fq_pie.c
@@ -734,11 +734,11 @@
 			mtag = m_tag_alloc(MTAG_ABI_COMPAT, DN_AQM_MTAG_TS,
 				sizeof(aqm_time_t), M_NOWAIT);
 		if (mtag == NULL) {
-			m_freem(m); 
 			t = DROP;
+		} else {
+			*(aqm_time_t *)(mtag + 1) = AQM_UNOW;
+			m_tag_prepend(m, mtag);
 		}
-		*(aqm_time_t *)(mtag + 1) = AQM_UNOW;
-		m_tag_prepend(m, mtag);
 	}
 
 	if (t != DROP) {