diff --git a/drivers/staging/wilc1000/wilc_mon.c b/drivers/staging/wilc1000/wilc_mon.c
index d6f14f69ad64..017e8e91334f 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/wilc1000/wilc_mon.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/wilc1000/wilc_mon.c
@@ -236,11 +236,10 @@ struct net_device *wilc_wfi_init_mon_interface(struct wilc *wl,
 
 	if (register_netdevice(wl->monitor_dev)) {
 		netdev_err(real_dev, "register_netdevice failed\n");
+		free_netdev(wl->monitor_dev);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	priv = netdev_priv(wl->monitor_dev);
-	if (!priv)
-		return NULL;
 
 	priv->real_ndev = real_dev;