diff --git a/net/core/net_namespace.c b/net/core/net_namespace.c
index f61c0e02a4130318060e35180d3cab391daf64af..7001da910c6b26cb2300c38147305a459895cc49 100644
--- a/net/core/net_namespace.c
+++ b/net/core/net_namespace.c
@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ int peernet2id_alloc(struct net *net, struct net *peer)
 	bool alloc;
 	int id;
 
+	if (atomic_read(&net->count) == 0)
+		return NETNSA_NSID_NOT_ASSIGNED;
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&net->nsid_lock, flags);
 	alloc = atomic_read(&peer->count) == 0 ? false : true;
 	id = __peernet2id_alloc(net, peer, &alloc);