diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/flower/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/flower/main.c
index 8e5ca6b4bb33..54d42a7f0d75 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/flower/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/flower/main.c
@@ -296,26 +296,16 @@ static int nfp_flower_start(struct nfp_app *app)
 					   NFP_REPR_TYPE_PF, 1);
 }
 
-static void nfp_flower_vnic_clean(struct nfp_app *app, struct nfp_net *nn)
-{
-	kfree(app->priv);
-	app->priv = NULL;
-}
-
 static int nfp_flower_vnic_init(struct nfp_app *app, struct nfp_net *nn,
 				unsigned int id)
 {
-	struct nfp_flower_priv *priv;
+	struct nfp_flower_priv *priv = app->priv;
 
 	if (id > 0) {
 		nfp_warn(app->cpp, "FlowerNIC doesn't support more than one data vNIC\n");
 		goto err_invalid_port;
 	}
 
-	priv = kzalloc(sizeof(*priv), GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!priv)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-	app->priv = priv;
 	priv->nn = nn;
 
 	eth_hw_addr_random(nn->dp.netdev);
@@ -347,9 +337,19 @@ static int nfp_flower_init(struct nfp_app *app)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	app->priv = kzalloc(sizeof(struct nfp_flower_priv), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!app->priv)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void nfp_flower_clean(struct nfp_app *app)
+{
+	kfree(app->priv);
+	app->priv = NULL;
+}
+
 const struct nfp_app_type app_flower = {
 	.id		= NFP_APP_FLOWER_NIC,
 	.name		= "flower",
@@ -358,9 +358,9 @@ const struct nfp_app_type app_flower = {
 	.extra_cap	= nfp_flower_extra_cap,
 
 	.init		= nfp_flower_init,
+	.clean		= nfp_flower_clean,
 
 	.vnic_init	= nfp_flower_vnic_init,
-	.vnic_clean	= nfp_flower_vnic_clean,
 
 	.start		= nfp_flower_start,
 	.stop		= nfp_flower_stop,
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h
index ae2d02753d1a..2fb503a817d2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ extern const struct nfp_app_type app_flower;
  * @ctrl_has_meta:  control messages have prepend of type:5/port:CTRL
  *
  * Callbacks
- * @init:	perform basic app checks
+ * @init:	perform basic app checks and init
+ * @clean:	clean app state
  * @extra_cap:	extra capabilities string
  * @vnic_init:	init vNICs (assign port types, etc.)
  * @vnic_clean:	clean up app's vNIC state
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ struct nfp_app_type {
 	bool ctrl_has_meta;
 
 	int (*init)(struct nfp_app *app);
+	void (*clean)(struct nfp_app *app);
 
 	const char *(*extra_cap)(struct nfp_app *app, struct nfp_net *nn);
 
@@ -144,6 +146,12 @@ static inline int nfp_app_init(struct nfp_app *app)
 	return app->type->init(app);
 }
 
+static inline void nfp_app_clean(struct nfp_app *app)
+{
+	if (app->type->clean)
+		app->type->clean(app);
+}
+
 static inline int nfp_app_vnic_init(struct nfp_app *app, struct nfp_net *nn,
 				    unsigned int id)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_main.c
index 93d6ea183956..49c4910fbcc6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_main.c
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ nfp_net_pf_app_init(struct nfp_pf *pf, u8 __iomem *qc_bar, unsigned int stride)
 	if (IS_ERR(ctrl_bar)) {
 		nfp_err(pf->cpp, "Failed to find data vNIC memory symbol\n");
 		err = PTR_ERR(ctrl_bar);
-		goto err_free;
+		goto err_app_clean;
 	}
 
 	pf->ctrl_vnic =	nfp_net_pf_alloc_vnic(pf, false, ctrl_bar, qc_bar,
@@ -428,8 +428,11 @@ nfp_net_pf_app_init(struct nfp_pf *pf, u8 __iomem *qc_bar, unsigned int stride)
 
 err_unmap:
 	nfp_cpp_area_release_free(pf->ctrl_vnic_bar);
+err_app_clean:
+	nfp_app_clean(pf->app);
 err_free:
 	nfp_app_free(pf->app);
+	pf->app = NULL;
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -439,6 +442,7 @@ static void nfp_net_pf_app_clean(struct nfp_pf *pf)
 		nfp_net_pf_free_vnic(pf, pf->ctrl_vnic);
 		nfp_cpp_area_release_free(pf->ctrl_vnic_bar);
 	}
+	nfp_app_clean(pf->app);
 	nfp_app_free(pf->app);
 	pf->app = NULL;
 }