diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_fs.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_fs.c
index 6bd5740e2691..09396bd7b02d 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_fs.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_fs.c
@@ -281,8 +281,11 @@ void ipoib_delete_debug_files(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
 
+	WARN_ONCE(!priv->mcg_dentry, "null mcg debug file\n");
+	WARN_ONCE(!priv->path_dentry, "null path debug file\n");
 	debugfs_remove(priv->mcg_dentry);
 	debugfs_remove(priv->path_dentry);
+	priv->mcg_dentry = priv->path_dentry = NULL;
 }
 
 int ipoib_register_debugfs(void)
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c
index d1d3fb7a6127..b319cc26c9a7 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_main.c
@@ -108,6 +108,33 @@ static struct ib_client ipoib_client = {
 	.get_net_dev_by_params = ipoib_get_net_dev_by_params,
 };
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_INFINIBAND_IPOIB_DEBUG
+static int ipoib_netdev_event(struct notifier_block *this,
+			      unsigned long event, void *ptr)
+{
+	struct netdev_notifier_info *ni = ptr;
+	struct net_device *dev = ni->dev;
+
+	if (dev->netdev_ops->ndo_open != ipoib_open)
+		return NOTIFY_DONE;
+
+	switch (event) {
+	case NETDEV_REGISTER:
+		ipoib_create_debug_files(dev);
+		break;
+	case NETDEV_CHANGENAME:
+		ipoib_delete_debug_files(dev);
+		ipoib_create_debug_files(dev);
+		break;
+	case NETDEV_UNREGISTER:
+		ipoib_delete_debug_files(dev);
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return NOTIFY_DONE;
+}
+#endif
+
 int ipoib_open(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
@@ -1674,8 +1701,6 @@ void ipoib_dev_cleanup(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
 
-	ipoib_delete_debug_files(dev);
-
 	/* Delete any child interfaces first */
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(cpriv, tcpriv, &priv->child_intfs, list) {
 		/* Stop GC on child */
@@ -2090,8 +2115,6 @@ static struct net_device *ipoib_add_port(const char *format,
 		goto register_failed;
 	}
 
-	ipoib_create_debug_files(priv->dev);
-
 	if (ipoib_cm_add_mode_attr(priv->dev))
 		goto sysfs_failed;
 	if (ipoib_add_pkey_attr(priv->dev))
@@ -2106,7 +2129,6 @@ static struct net_device *ipoib_add_port(const char *format,
 	return priv->dev;
 
 sysfs_failed:
-	ipoib_delete_debug_files(priv->dev);
 	unregister_netdev(priv->dev);
 
 register_failed:
@@ -2191,6 +2213,12 @@ static void ipoib_remove_one(struct ib_device *device, void *client_data)
 	kfree(dev_list);
 }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_INFINIBAND_IPOIB_DEBUG
+static struct notifier_block ipoib_netdev_notifier = {
+	.notifier_call = ipoib_netdev_event,
+};
+#endif
+
 static int __init ipoib_init_module(void)
 {
 	int ret;
@@ -2243,6 +2271,9 @@ static int __init ipoib_init_module(void)
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_client;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_INFINIBAND_IPOIB_DEBUG
+	register_netdevice_notifier(&ipoib_netdev_notifier);
+#endif
 	return 0;
 
 err_client:
@@ -2260,6 +2291,9 @@ err_fs:
 
 static void __exit ipoib_cleanup_module(void)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_INFINIBAND_IPOIB_DEBUG
+	unregister_netdevice_notifier(&ipoib_netdev_notifier);
+#endif
 	ipoib_netlink_fini();
 	ib_unregister_client(&ipoib_client);
 	ib_sa_unregister_client(&ipoib_sa_client);
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_vlan.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_vlan.c
index 3e10e3dac2e7..e543bc745f34 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_vlan.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_vlan.c
@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ int __ipoib_vlan_add(struct ipoib_dev_priv *ppriv, struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv,
 		goto register_failed;
 	}
 
-	ipoib_create_debug_files(priv->dev);
-
 	/* RTNL childs don't need proprietary sysfs entries */
 	if (type == IPOIB_LEGACY_CHILD) {
 		if (ipoib_cm_add_mode_attr(priv->dev))
@@ -108,7 +106,6 @@ int __ipoib_vlan_add(struct ipoib_dev_priv *ppriv, struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv,
 
 sysfs_failed:
 	result = -ENOMEM;
-	ipoib_delete_debug_files(priv->dev);
 	unregister_netdevice(priv->dev);
 
 register_failed: