diff --git a/drivers/net/macvlan.c b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
index 4b77819e9328..069e8824c264 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macvlan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ static void macvlan_set_lockdep_class(struct net_device *dev)
 static int macvlan_init(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct macvlan_dev *vlan = netdev_priv(dev);
-	const struct net_device *lowerdev = vlan->lowerdev;
+	struct net_device *lowerdev = vlan->lowerdev;
 	struct macvlan_port *port = vlan->port;
 
 	dev->state		= (dev->state & ~MACVLAN_STATE_MASK) |
@@ -911,6 +911,9 @@ static int macvlan_init(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	port->count += 1;
 
+	/* Get macvlan's reference to lowerdev */
+	dev_hold_track(lowerdev, &vlan->dev_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1173,6 +1176,14 @@ static const struct net_device_ops macvlan_netdev_ops = {
 	.ndo_features_check	= passthru_features_check,
 };
 
+static void macvlan_dev_free(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	struct macvlan_dev *vlan = netdev_priv(dev);
+
+	/* Get rid of the macvlan's reference to lowerdev */
+	dev_put_track(vlan->lowerdev, &vlan->dev_tracker);
+}
+
 void macvlan_common_setup(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	ether_setup(dev);
@@ -1184,6 +1195,7 @@ void macvlan_common_setup(struct net_device *dev)
 	dev->priv_flags	       |= IFF_UNICAST_FLT | IFF_CHANGE_PROTO_DOWN;
 	dev->netdev_ops		= &macvlan_netdev_ops;
 	dev->needs_free_netdev	= true;
+	dev->priv_destructor	= macvlan_dev_free;
 	dev->header_ops		= &macvlan_hard_header_ops;
 	dev->ethtool_ops	= &macvlan_ethtool_ops;
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/if_macvlan.h b/include/linux/if_macvlan.h
index 10c94a3936ca..b42294739063 100644
--- a/include/linux/if_macvlan.h
+++ b/include/linux/if_macvlan.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ struct macvlan_dev {
 	struct hlist_node	hlist;
 	struct macvlan_port	*port;
 	struct net_device	*lowerdev;
+	netdevice_tracker	dev_tracker;
 	void			*accel_priv;
 	struct vlan_pcpu_stats __percpu *pcpu_stats;