diff --git a/src/core/pbuf.c b/src/core/pbuf.c
index 7663e089..1e4e3f32 100644
--- a/src/core/pbuf.c
+++ b/src/core/pbuf.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ pbuf_alloc(pbuf_layer layer, u16_t length, pbuf_type type)
   switch (type) {
   case PBUF_REF: /* fall through */
   case PBUF_ROM:
-    return pbuf_alloc_reference(NULL, length, type);
+    p = pbuf_alloc_reference(NULL, length, type);
   case PBUF_POOL:
     {
       struct pbuf *q, *last;