diff --git a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
index 13e8c9a0cf4f..7968696d78ee 100644
--- a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
+++ b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
@@ -991,10 +991,6 @@ static int ax25_release(struct socket *sock)
 	sock_orphan(sk);
 	ax25 = sk_to_ax25(sk);
 	ax25_dev = ax25->ax25_dev;
-	if (ax25_dev) {
-		dev_put(ax25_dev->dev);
-		ax25_dev_put(ax25_dev);
-	}
 
 	if (sk->sk_type == SOCK_SEQPACKET) {
 		switch (ax25->state) {
@@ -1056,6 +1052,10 @@ static int ax25_release(struct socket *sock)
 		sk->sk_state_change(sk);
 		ax25_destroy_socket(ax25);
 	}
+	if (ax25_dev) {
+		dev_put(ax25_dev->dev);
+		ax25_dev_put(ax25_dev);
+	}
 
 	sock->sk   = NULL;
 	release_sock(sk);