diff --git a/drivers/net/netconsole.c b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
index ca142c47b2e4..94255f09093d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netconsole.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
@@ -678,7 +678,14 @@ static int netconsole_netdev_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 				strlcpy(nt->np.dev_name, dev->name, IFNAMSIZ);
 				break;
 			case NETDEV_UNREGISTER:
-				netpoll_cleanup(&nt->np);
+				/*
+				 * rtnl_lock already held
+				 */
+				if (nt->np.dev) {
+					__netpoll_cleanup(&nt->np);
+					dev_put(nt->np.dev);
+					nt->np.dev = NULL;
+				}
 				/* Fall through */
 			case NETDEV_GOING_DOWN:
 			case NETDEV_BONDING_DESLAVE: