diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
index cf66be83fb77..ad2d3ad34b7d 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
@@ -638,7 +638,12 @@ void vlan_dev_free_egress_priority(const struct net_device *dev)
 
 static void vlan_dev_uninit(struct net_device *dev)
 {
+	struct vlan_dev_priv *vlan = vlan_dev_priv(dev);
+
 	vlan_dev_free_egress_priority(dev);
+
+	/* Get rid of the vlan's reference to real_dev */
+	dev_put(vlan->real_dev);
 }
 
 static netdev_features_t vlan_dev_fix_features(struct net_device *dev,
@@ -851,9 +856,6 @@ static void vlan_dev_free(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	free_percpu(vlan->vlan_pcpu_stats);
 	vlan->vlan_pcpu_stats = NULL;
-
-	/* Get rid of the vlan's reference to real_dev */
-	dev_put(vlan->real_dev);
 }
 
 void vlan_setup(struct net_device *dev)