diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
index 07401a3e256bf3b1c5f56c607d80f757b448105a..e074c6b555175395f20ec7bf1eb3664716c54964 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
@@ -3168,11 +3168,20 @@ static int bond_slave_netdev_event(unsigned long event,
 				   struct net_device *slave_dev)
 {
 	struct slave *slave = bond_slave_get_rtnl(slave_dev);
-	struct bonding *bond = slave->bond;
-	struct net_device *bond_dev = slave->bond->dev;
+	struct bonding *bond;
+	struct net_device *bond_dev;
 	u32 old_speed;
 	u8 old_duplex;
 
+	/* A netdev event can be generated while enslaving a device
+	 * before netdev_rx_handler_register is called in which case
+	 * slave will be NULL
+	 */
+	if (!slave)
+		return NOTIFY_DONE;
+	bond_dev = slave->bond->dev;
+	bond = slave->bond;
+
 	switch (event) {
 	case NETDEV_UNREGISTER:
 		if (bond->setup_by_slave)