diff --git a/drivers/net/loopback.c b/drivers/net/loopback.c
index 91d08585a6d8..c4516b580ba5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/loopback.c
+++ b/drivers/net/loopback.c
@@ -204,17 +204,8 @@ static __net_exit void loopback_net_exit(struct net *net)
 	unregister_netdev(dev);
 }
 
-static struct pernet_operations __net_initdata loopback_net_ops = {
+/* Registered in net/core/dev.c */
+struct pernet_operations __net_initdata loopback_net_ops = {
        .init = loopback_net_init,
        .exit = loopback_net_exit,
 };
-
-static int __init loopback_init(void)
-{
-	return register_pernet_device(&loopback_net_ops);
-}
-
-/* Loopback is special. It should be initialized before any other network
- * device and network subsystem.
- */
-fs_initcall(loopback_init);
diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index f1b0dbe58464..12d7f4469dc9 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -1766,6 +1766,7 @@ static inline int skb_bond_should_drop(struct sk_buff *skb)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+extern struct pernet_operations __net_initdata loopback_net_ops;
 #endif /* __KERNEL__ */
 
 #endif	/* _LINUX_DEV_H */
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 2306d56fbb5e..31568b2068ac 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -4909,9 +4909,6 @@ static int __init net_dev_init(void)
 	if (register_pernet_subsys(&netdev_net_ops))
 		goto out;
 
-	if (register_pernet_device(&default_device_ops))
-		goto out;
-
 	/*
 	 *	Initialise the packet receive queues.
 	 */
@@ -4928,10 +4925,25 @@ static int __init net_dev_init(void)
 		queue->backlog.weight = weight_p;
 	}
 
-	netdev_dma_register();
-
 	dev_boot_phase = 0;
 
+	/* The loopback device is special if any other network devices
+	 * is present in a network namespace the loopback device must
+	 * be present. Since we now dynamically allocate and free the
+	 * loopback device ensure this invariant is maintained by
+	 * keeping the loopback device as the first device on the
+	 * list of network devices.  Ensuring the loopback devices
+	 * is the first device that appears and the last network device
+	 * that disappears.
+	 */
+	if (register_pernet_device(&loopback_net_ops))
+		goto out;
+
+	if (register_pernet_device(&default_device_ops))
+		goto out;
+
+	netdev_dma_register();
+
 	open_softirq(NET_TX_SOFTIRQ, net_tx_action);
 	open_softirq(NET_RX_SOFTIRQ, net_rx_action);