diff --git a/net/nfc/nci/core.c b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
index df90872fcf90..e7701c36f36c 100644
--- a/net/nfc/nci/core.c
+++ b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ static int nci_open_device(struct nci_dev *ndev)
 		skb_queue_purge(&ndev->tx_q);
 
 		ndev->ops->close(ndev);
-		ndev->flags = 0;
+		ndev->flags &= BIT(NCI_UNREG);
 	}
 
 done: