diff --git a/drivers/net/wan/hdlc.c b/drivers/net/wan/hdlc.c
index 51f6cee8aab2d805147b9741ea49fad3747d7cfa..2a6595b4ae15896bf55e212f8946f50b45251147 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wan/hdlc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wan/hdlc.c
@@ -266,8 +266,8 @@ struct net_device *alloc_hdlcdev(void *priv)
 void unregister_hdlc_device(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	rtnl_lock();
-	unregister_netdevice(dev);
 	detach_hdlc_protocol(dev);
+	unregister_netdevice(dev);
 	rtnl_unlock();
 }