diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index 07447d1665e636d44460dbb6f12c4bbb3ab22cfd..fedd7ab4085a767c7f855bf60cb79412886d0bc7 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -2148,7 +2148,7 @@ static int rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh)
 		dev->ifindex = ifm->ifi_index;
 
 		if (ops->newlink) {
-			err = ops->newlink(net, dev, tb, data);
+			err = ops->newlink(link_net ? : net, dev, tb, data);
 			/* Drivers should call free_netdev() in ->destructor
 			 * and unregister it on failure after registration
 			 * so that device could be finally freed in rtnl_unlock.