diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan.c b/net/8021q/vlan.c
index 15bbfaf943fd..8b644113715e 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan.c
@@ -284,9 +284,7 @@ static int register_vlan_device(struct net_device *real_dev, u16 vlan_id)
 	return 0;
 
 out_free_newdev:
-	if (new_dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNINITIALIZED ||
-	    new_dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNREGISTERED)
-		free_netdev(new_dev);
+	free_netdev(new_dev);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 8fa739259041..adde93cbca9f 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -10631,6 +10631,17 @@ void free_netdev(struct net_device *dev)
 	struct napi_struct *p, *n;
 
 	might_sleep();
+
+	/* When called immediately after register_netdevice() failed the unwind
+	 * handling may still be dismantling the device. Handle that case by
+	 * deferring the free.
+	 */
+	if (dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNREGISTERING) {
+		ASSERT_RTNL();
+		dev->needs_free_netdev = true;
+		return;
+	}
+
 	netif_free_tx_queues(dev);
 	netif_free_rx_queues(dev);
 
diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index 79f514afb17d..3d6ab194d0f5 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -3439,26 +3439,15 @@ replay:
 
 	dev->ifindex = ifm->ifi_index;
 
-	if (ops->newlink) {
+	if (ops->newlink)
 		err = ops->newlink(link_net ? : net, dev, tb, data, extack);
-		/* Drivers should set dev->needs_free_netdev
-		 * and unregister it on failure after registration
-		 * so that device could be finally freed in rtnl_unlock.
-		 */
-		if (err < 0) {
-			/* If device is not registered at all, free it now */
-			if (dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNINITIALIZED ||
-			    dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNREGISTERED)
-				free_netdev(dev);
-			goto out;
-		}
-	} else {
+	else
 		err = register_netdevice(dev);
-		if (err < 0) {
-			free_netdev(dev);
-			goto out;
-		}
+	if (err < 0) {
+		free_netdev(dev);
+		goto out;
 	}
+
 	err = rtnl_configure_link(dev, ifm);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto out_unregister;