diff --git a/net/tipc/core.c b/net/tipc/core.c
index e9f6265e3446..d787db1d6900 100644
--- a/net/tipc/core.c
+++ b/net/tipc/core.c
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ static int __net_init tipc_init_net(struct net *net)
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&tn->node_list);
 	spin_lock_init(&tn->node_list_lock);
 
+	err = tipc_socket_init();
+	if (err)
+		goto out_socket;
+
 	err = tipc_sk_rht_init(net);
 	if (err)
 		goto out_sk_rht;
@@ -87,6 +91,8 @@ out_subscr:
 out_nametbl:
 	tipc_sk_rht_destroy(net);
 out_sk_rht:
+	tipc_socket_stop();
+out_socket:
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -97,6 +103,7 @@ static void __net_exit tipc_exit_net(struct net *net)
 	tipc_bcast_stop(net);
 	tipc_nametbl_stop(net);
 	tipc_sk_rht_destroy(net);
+	tipc_socket_stop();
 }
 
 static struct pernet_operations tipc_net_ops = {
@@ -134,10 +141,6 @@ static int __init tipc_init(void)
 	if (err)
 		goto out_pernet;
 
-	err = tipc_socket_init();
-	if (err)
-		goto out_socket;
-
 	err = tipc_bearer_setup();
 	if (err)
 		goto out_bearer;
@@ -145,8 +148,6 @@ static int __init tipc_init(void)
 	pr_info("Started in single node mode\n");
 	return 0;
 out_bearer:
-	tipc_socket_stop();
-out_socket:
 	unregister_pernet_subsys(&tipc_net_ops);
 out_pernet:
 	tipc_unregister_sysctl();
@@ -162,7 +163,6 @@ out_netlink:
 static void __exit tipc_exit(void)
 {
 	tipc_bearer_cleanup();
-	tipc_socket_stop();
 	unregister_pernet_subsys(&tipc_net_ops);
 	tipc_netlink_stop();
 	tipc_netlink_compat_stop();