diff --git a/drivers/net/can/usb/etas_es58x/es58x_core.c b/drivers/net/can/usb/etas_es58x/es58x_core.c
index cd4e7f356e48..0e6faf962ebb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/usb/etas_es58x/es58x_core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/usb/etas_es58x/es58x_core.c
@@ -2098,8 +2098,11 @@ static int es58x_init_netdev(struct es58x_device *es58x_dev, int channel_idx)
 	netdev->flags |= IFF_ECHO;	/* We support local echo */
 
 	ret = register_candev(netdev);
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		es58x_dev->netdev[channel_idx] = NULL;
+		free_candev(netdev);
 		return ret;
+	}
 
 	netdev_queue_set_dql_min_limit(netdev_get_tx_queue(netdev, 0),
 				       es58x_dev->param->dql_min_limit);