diff --git a/net/xdp/xsk_buff_pool.c b/net/xdp/xsk_buff_pool.c
index 3c5a1423d922..9287eddec52c 100644
--- a/net/xdp/xsk_buff_pool.c
+++ b/net/xdp/xsk_buff_pool.c
@@ -185,8 +185,10 @@ static int __xp_assign_dev(struct xsk_buff_pool *pool,
 err_unreg_pool:
 	if (!force_zc)
 		err = 0; /* fallback to copy mode */
-	if (err)
+	if (err) {
 		xsk_clear_pool_at_qid(netdev, queue_id);
+		dev_put(netdev);
+	}
 	return err;
 }