diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan.c b/net/8021q/vlan.c
index 3f47abf9ef4a..cd7c0429cddf 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan.c
@@ -116,9 +116,6 @@ 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 2a78da4072de..415a29d42cdf 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
@@ -790,6 +790,9 @@ 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)