diff --git a/net/nfc/nci/core.c b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
index b2e922fcc70d..57849baf9294 100644
--- a/net/nfc/nci/core.c
+++ b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ 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: