diff --git a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
index 7cda3b0521d8..a0b69ae8be1c 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
@@ -1171,11 +1171,12 @@ static void ip_fib_net_exit(struct net *net)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 
+	rtnl_lock();
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_IP_MULTIPLE_TABLES
 	fib4_rules_exit(net);
 #endif
 
-	rtnl_lock();
 	for (i = 0; i < FIB_TABLE_HASHSZ; i++) {
 		struct hlist_head *head = &net->ipv4.fib_table_hash[i];
 		struct hlist_node *tmp;