diff --git a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
index f012ebd87b43..12368c586068 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
@@ -374,8 +374,8 @@ static struct inet6_dev * ipv6_add_dev(struct net_device *dev)
 			"%s(): cannot allocate memory for statistics; dev=%s.\n",
 			__func__, dev->name));
 		neigh_parms_release(&nd_tbl, ndev->nd_parms);
-		ndev->dead = 1;
-		in6_dev_finish_destroy(ndev);
+		dev_put(dev);
+		kfree(ndev);
 		return NULL;
 	}