diff --git a/net/ipv6/sit.c b/net/ipv6/sit.c
index bcf29201f87b3243e7be7858b4e2e4bba45efecd..a629ec46ba3a1991640da3a297cbdf3d2aa800df 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/sit.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/sit.c
@@ -215,8 +215,6 @@ static int ipip6_tunnel_create(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	ipip6_tunnel_clone_6rd(dev, sitn);
 
-	dev_hold(dev);
-
 	ipip6_tunnel_link(sitn, t);
 	return 0;
 
@@ -1407,7 +1405,7 @@ static int ipip6_tunnel_init(struct net_device *dev)
 		dev->tstats = NULL;
 		return err;
 	}
-
+	dev_hold(dev);
 	return 0;
 }