diff --git a/net/core/link_watch.c b/net/core/link_watch.c
index bf8f7af699d7035e6e61af7c794c10877cd4fff9..1e401e12dc720609aca6227b0dd1c7d23922f867 100644
--- a/net/core/link_watch.c
+++ b/net/core/link_watch.c
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ static void __linkwatch_run_queue(int urgent_only)
 		 */
 		clear_bit(__LINK_STATE_LINKWATCH_PENDING, &dev->state);
 
-		rfc2863_policy(dev);
 		if (dev->flags & IFF_UP) {
 			if (netif_carrier_ok(dev))
 				dev_activate(dev);
@@ -215,6 +214,12 @@ void linkwatch_fire_event(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	bool urgent = linkwatch_urgent_event(dev);
 
+	rfc2863_policy(dev);
+
+	/* Some drivers call netif_carrier_off early */
+	if (dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNINITIALIZED)
+		return;
+
 	if (!test_and_set_bit(__LINK_STATE_LINKWATCH_PENDING, &dev->state)) {
 		dev_hold(dev);
 
diff --git a/net/sched/sch_generic.c b/net/sched/sch_generic.c
index 5f5efe4e6072e2959d6f6802a268cc7c5afca66b..23a8e6141a00c3b74672fd70c0254e6bfb9e9eb3 100644
--- a/net/sched/sch_generic.c
+++ b/net/sched/sch_generic.c
@@ -270,8 +270,6 @@ static void dev_watchdog_down(struct net_device *dev)
 void netif_carrier_on(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	if (test_and_clear_bit(__LINK_STATE_NOCARRIER, &dev->state)) {
-		if (dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNINITIALIZED)
-			return;
 		linkwatch_fire_event(dev);
 		if (netif_running(dev))
 			__netdev_watchdog_up(dev);
@@ -288,8 +286,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(netif_carrier_on);
 void netif_carrier_off(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	if (!test_and_set_bit(__LINK_STATE_NOCARRIER, &dev->state)) {
-		if (dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNINITIALIZED)
-			return;
 		linkwatch_fire_event(dev);
 	}
 }