diff --git a/drivers/rapidio/devices/rio_mport_cdev.c b/drivers/rapidio/devices/rio_mport_cdev.c
index 2371151bc8fc..2e6490cc1f46 100644
--- a/drivers/rapidio/devices/rio_mport_cdev.c
+++ b/drivers/rapidio/devices/rio_mport_cdev.c
@@ -1743,7 +1743,8 @@ static int rio_mport_add_riodev(struct mport_cdev_priv *priv,
 		err = rio_add_net(net);
 		if (err) {
 			rmcd_debug(RDEV, "failed to register net, err=%d", err);
-			kfree(net);
+			put_device(&net->dev);
+			mport->net = NULL;
 			goto cleanup;
 		}
 	}