diff --git a/lib/scatterlist.c b/lib/scatterlist.c
index 129a82f..a685c8a 100644
--- a/lib/scatterlist.c
+++ b/lib/scatterlist.c
@@ -247,13 +247,15 @@
 	struct scatterlist *sg, *prv;
 	unsigned int left;
 
+	memset(table, 0, sizeof(*table));
+
+	if (nents == 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 #ifndef ARCH_HAS_SG_CHAIN
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(nents > max_ents))
 		return -EINVAL;
 #endif
 
-	memset(table, 0, sizeof(*table));
-
 	left = nents;
 	prv = NULL;
 	do {