diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan.c b/net/8021q/vlan.c
index 15bbfaf943fd..ad3780067a7d 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan.c
@@ -120,9 +120,6 @@ void unregister_vlan_dev(struct net_device *dev, struct list_head *head)
 	}
 
 	vlan_vid_del(real_dev, vlan->vlan_proto, vlan_id);
-
-	/* Get rid of the vlan's reference to real_dev */
-	dev_put(real_dev);
 }
 
 int vlan_check_real_dev(struct net_device *real_dev,
diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
index ec8408d1638f..c7eba7dab093 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
@@ -813,6 +813,9 @@ static void vlan_dev_free(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	free_percpu(vlan->vlan_pcpu_stats);
 	vlan->vlan_pcpu_stats = NULL;
+
+	/* Get rid of the vlan's reference to real_dev */
+	dev_put(vlan->real_dev);
 }
 
 void vlan_setup(struct net_device *dev)