diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan.c b/net/8021q/vlan.c
index 61fc573f1142..69b4a352021f 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan.c
@@ -169,13 +169,13 @@ int register_vlan_dev(struct net_device *dev)
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto out_uninit_mvrp;
 
-	err = netdev_upper_dev_link(real_dev, dev);
-	if (err)
-		goto out_uninit_mvrp;
-
 	err = register_netdevice(dev);
 	if (err < 0)
-		goto out_upper_dev_unlink;
+		goto out_uninit_mvrp;
+
+	err = netdev_upper_dev_link(real_dev, dev);
+	if (err)
+		goto out_unregister_netdev;
 
 	/* Account for reference in struct vlan_dev_priv */
 	dev_hold(real_dev);
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ int register_vlan_dev(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	return 0;
 
-out_upper_dev_unlink:
-	netdev_upper_dev_unlink(real_dev, dev);
+out_unregister_netdev:
+	unregister_netdevice(dev);
 out_uninit_mvrp:
 	if (grp->nr_vlan_devs == 0)
 		vlan_mvrp_uninit_applicant(real_dev);