diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/huawei/hinic/hinic_hw_dev.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/huawei/hinic/hinic_hw_dev.c
index b2ece3adbc726a2b99826175b472dd88563809b2..657a15447bd0e3638b26f1a4dd38ca0f3362a2b1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/huawei/hinic/hinic_hw_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/huawei/hinic/hinic_hw_dev.c
@@ -754,11 +754,9 @@ static int init_pfhwdev(struct hinic_pfhwdev *pfhwdev)
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	hinic_devlink_register(hwdev->devlink_dev);
 	err = hinic_func_to_func_init(hwdev);
 	if (err) {
 		dev_err(&hwif->pdev->dev, "Failed to init mailbox\n");
-		hinic_devlink_unregister(hwdev->devlink_dev);
 		hinic_pf_to_mgmt_free(&pfhwdev->pf_to_mgmt);
 		return err;
 	}
@@ -781,7 +779,7 @@ static int init_pfhwdev(struct hinic_pfhwdev *pfhwdev)
 	}
 
 	hinic_set_pf_action(hwif, HINIC_PF_MGMT_ACTIVE);
-
+	hinic_devlink_register(hwdev->devlink_dev);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -793,6 +791,7 @@ static void free_pfhwdev(struct hinic_pfhwdev *pfhwdev)
 {
 	struct hinic_hwdev *hwdev = &pfhwdev->hwdev;
 
+	hinic_devlink_unregister(hwdev->devlink_dev);
 	hinic_set_pf_action(hwdev->hwif, HINIC_PF_MGMT_INIT);
 
 	if (!HINIC_IS_VF(hwdev->hwif)) {
@@ -810,8 +809,6 @@ static void free_pfhwdev(struct hinic_pfhwdev *pfhwdev)
 
 	hinic_func_to_func_free(hwdev);
 
-	hinic_devlink_unregister(hwdev->devlink_dev);
-
 	hinic_pf_to_mgmt_free(&pfhwdev->pf_to_mgmt);
 }