diff --git a/net/ipv4/devinet.c b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
index bb0d1252cad8..f07778c34098 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/devinet.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
@@ -567,10 +567,6 @@ static int inet_set_ifa(struct net_device *dev, struct in_ifaddr *ifa)
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
 
-	if (!in_dev) {
-		inet_free_ifa(ifa);
-		return -ENOBUFS;
-	}
 	ipv4_devconf_setall(in_dev);
 	neigh_parms_data_state_setall(in_dev->arp_parms);
 	if (ifa->ifa_dev != in_dev) {
@@ -1153,6 +1149,8 @@ int devinet_ioctl(struct net *net, unsigned int cmd, struct ifreq *ifr)
 
 		if (!ifa) {
 			ret = -ENOBUFS;
+			if (!in_dev)
+				break;
 			ifa = inet_alloc_ifa();
 			if (!ifa)
 				break;