diff --git a/sys/net/route/nhgrp_ctl.c b/sys/net/route/nhgrp_ctl.c
index b228c3bcee3..49866499ac8 100644
--- a/sys/net/route/nhgrp_ctl.c
+++ b/sys/net/route/nhgrp_ctl.c
@@ -806,7 +806,9 @@ nhgrp_dump_sysctl(struct rib_head *rh, struct sysctl_req *w)
 	sz = sizeof(struct rt_msghdr) + sizeof(struct nhgrp_external);
 	sz += 2 * sizeof(struct nhgrp_container);
 	sz += 2 * sizeof(struct nhgrp_nhop_external) * RIB_MAX_MPATH_WIDTH;
-	buffer = malloc(sz, M_TEMP, M_WAITOK);
+	buffer = malloc(sz, M_TEMP, M_NOWAIT);
+	if (buffer == NULL)
+		return (ENOMEM);
 
 	NET_EPOCH_ENTER(et);
 	NHOPS_RLOCK(ctl);