diff --git a/net/ipv4/ipmr.c b/net/ipv4/ipmr.c
index 292123bc30fa..c3a38353f5dc 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ipmr.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ipmr.c
@@ -441,10 +441,6 @@ struct net_device *ipmr_new_tunnel(struct net *net, struct vifctl *v)
 	return dev;
 
 failure:
-	/* allow the register to be completed before unregistering. */
-	rtnl_unlock();
-	rtnl_lock();
-
 	unregister_netdevice(dev);
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -540,10 +536,6 @@ static struct net_device *ipmr_reg_vif(struct net *net, struct mr_table *mrt)
 	return dev;
 
 failure:
-	/* allow the register to be completed before unregistering. */
-	rtnl_unlock();
-	rtnl_lock();
-
 	unregister_netdevice(dev);
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c b/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c
index 7a4a1b81dbb6..a10e77103c88 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c
@@ -765,10 +765,6 @@ static struct net_device *ip6mr_reg_vif(struct net *net, struct mr6_table *mrt)
 	return dev;
 
 failure:
-	/* allow the register to be completed before unregistering. */
-	rtnl_unlock();
-	rtnl_lock();
-
 	unregister_netdevice(dev);
 	return NULL;
 }