diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c b/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
index 3c7b9310b33f..e5ea177d34c6 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
@@ -1571,13 +1571,11 @@ static int ip6gre_changelink(struct net_device *dev, struct nlattr *tb[],
 			return -EEXIST;
 	} else {
 		t = nt;
-
-		ip6gre_tunnel_unlink(ign, t);
-		ip6gre_tnl_change(t, &p, !tb[IFLA_MTU]);
-		ip6gre_tunnel_link(ign, t);
-		netdev_state_change(dev);
 	}
 
+	ip6gre_tunnel_unlink(ign, t);
+	ip6gre_tnl_change(t, &p, !tb[IFLA_MTU]);
+	ip6gre_tunnel_link(ign, t);
 	return 0;
 }