diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index fe2a754238a902dfb1fcb5c8e9e02cde8f3388ee..2d01f18f303a0dc985028b8bcc657ab1734d26de 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -3757,11 +3757,10 @@ int netdev_set_master(struct net_device *slave, struct net_device *master)
 
 	slave->master = master;
 
-	synchronize_net();
-
-	if (old)
+	if (old) {
+		synchronize_net();
 		dev_put(old);
-
+	}
 	if (master)
 		slave->flags |= IFF_SLAVE;
 	else