diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan.h b/net/8021q/vlan.h
index cc1557978066..ecdfeaafba9c 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan.h
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ int vlan_check_real_dev(struct net_device *real_dev,
 void vlan_setup(struct net_device *dev);
 int register_vlan_dev(struct net_device *dev);
 void unregister_vlan_dev(struct net_device *dev, struct list_head *head);
+void vlan_dev_uninit(struct net_device *dev);
 bool vlan_dev_inherit_address(struct net_device *dev,
 			      struct net_device *real_dev);
 
diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
index d06d15db3232..892929d43898 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
@@ -610,7 +610,8 @@ static int vlan_dev_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void vlan_dev_uninit(struct net_device *dev)
+/* Note: this function might be called multiple times for the same device. */
+void vlan_dev_uninit(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct vlan_priority_tci_mapping *pm;
 	struct vlan_dev_priv *vlan = vlan_dev_priv(dev);
diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan_netlink.c b/net/8021q/vlan_netlink.c
index 69e58fda9496..214cc068ffc2 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan_netlink.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan_netlink.c
@@ -157,10 +157,11 @@ static int vlan_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	err = vlan_changelink(dev, tb, data);
-	if (err < 0)
-		return err;
-
-	return register_vlan_dev(dev);
+	if (!err)
+		err = register_vlan_dev(dev);
+	if (err)
+		vlan_dev_uninit(dev);
+	return err;
 }
 
 static inline size_t vlan_qos_map_size(unsigned int n)