diff --git a/net/netlink/genetlink.c b/net/netlink/genetlink.c
index b9ce82c9440f..e9b8b0b0ac43 100644
--- a/net/netlink/genetlink.c
+++ b/net/netlink/genetlink.c
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ int genl_register_family(struct genl_family *family)
 			       start, end + 1, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (family->id < 0) {
 		err = family->id;
-		goto errout_locked;
+		goto errout_free;
 	}
 
 	err = genl_validate_assign_mc_groups(family);
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ int genl_register_family(struct genl_family *family)
 
 errout_remove:
 	idr_remove(&genl_fam_idr, family->id);
+errout_free:
 	kfree(family->attrbuf);
 errout_locked:
 	genl_unlock_all();