diff --git a/drivers/net/veth.c b/drivers/net/veth.c
index 0f71a4fe506a8a223e8d3fe38b7d2b8ef490e724..e1da42aaf9de94891e6bff691b129c2e362334fd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/veth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/veth.c
@@ -206,9 +206,11 @@ static int veth_open(struct net_device *dev)
 static int veth_close(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct veth_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
+	struct net_device *peer = rtnl_dereference(priv->peer);
 
 	netif_carrier_off(dev);
-	netif_carrier_off(rtnl_dereference(priv->peer));
+	if (peer)
+		netif_carrier_off(peer);
 
 	return 0;
 }