diff --git a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
index 386510a93696..a4b793d1b7d7 100644
--- a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
+++ b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
@@ -1485,10 +1485,8 @@ int l2tp_tunnel_register(struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel, struct net *net,
 	lock_sock(sk);
 	write_lock_bh(&sk->sk_callback_lock);
 	ret = l2tp_validate_socket(sk, net, tunnel->encap);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		release_sock(sk);
+	if (ret < 0)
 		goto err_inval_sock;
-	}
 	rcu_assign_sk_user_data(sk, tunnel);
 	write_unlock_bh(&sk->sk_callback_lock);
 
@@ -1525,6 +1523,7 @@ int l2tp_tunnel_register(struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel, struct net *net,
 
 err_inval_sock:
 	write_unlock_bh(&sk->sk_callback_lock);
+	release_sock(sk);
 
 	if (tunnel->fd < 0)
 		sock_release(sock);