diff --git a/net/ipv6/route.c b/net/ipv6/route.c
index 74b9b6fd4168..047c47224dba 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/route.c
@@ -1274,18 +1274,29 @@ static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(rt6_exception_lock);
 static void rt6_remove_exception(struct rt6_exception_bucket *bucket,
 				 struct rt6_exception *rt6_ex)
 {
+	struct fib6_info *from;
 	struct net *net;
 
 	if (!bucket || !rt6_ex)
 		return;
 
 	net = dev_net(rt6_ex->rt6i->dst.dev);
+	net->ipv6.rt6_stats->fib_rt_cache--;
+
+	/* purge completely the exception to allow releasing the held resources:
+	 * some [sk] cache may keep the dst around for unlimited time
+	 */
+	from = rcu_dereference_protected(rt6_ex->rt6i->from,
+					 lockdep_is_held(&rt6_exception_lock));
+	rcu_assign_pointer(rt6_ex->rt6i->from, NULL);
+	fib6_info_release(from);
+	dst_dev_put(&rt6_ex->rt6i->dst);
+
 	hlist_del_rcu(&rt6_ex->hlist);
 	dst_release(&rt6_ex->rt6i->dst);
 	kfree_rcu(rt6_ex, rcu);
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(!bucket->depth);
 	bucket->depth--;
-	net->ipv6.rt6_stats->fib_rt_cache--;
 }
 
 /* Remove oldest rt6_ex in bucket and free the memory