diff --git a/net/sctp/protocol.c b/net/sctp/protocol.c
index cf335494bffe..49d9740b1e0f 100644
--- a/net/sctp/protocol.c
+++ b/net/sctp/protocol.c
@@ -1383,10 +1383,6 @@ static int __net_init sctp_defaults_init(struct net *net)
 	net->sctp.l3mdev_accept = 1;
 #endif
 
-	status = sctp_sysctl_net_register(net);
-	if (status)
-		goto err_sysctl_register;
-
 	/* Allocate and initialise sctp mibs.  */
 	status = init_sctp_mibs(net);
 	if (status)
@@ -1420,8 +1416,6 @@ static int __net_init sctp_defaults_init(struct net *net)
 	cleanup_sctp_mibs(net);
 #endif
 err_init_mibs:
-	sctp_sysctl_net_unregister(net);
-err_sysctl_register:
 	return status;
 }
 
@@ -1436,7 +1430,6 @@ static void __net_exit sctp_defaults_exit(struct net *net)
 	net->sctp.proc_net_sctp = NULL;
 #endif
 	cleanup_sctp_mibs(net);
-	sctp_sysctl_net_unregister(net);
 }
 
 static struct pernet_operations sctp_defaults_ops = {
@@ -1450,16 +1443,27 @@ static int __net_init sctp_ctrlsock_init(struct net *net)
 
 	/* Initialize the control inode/socket for handling OOTB packets.  */
 	status = sctp_ctl_sock_init(net);
-	if (status)
+	if (status) {
 		pr_err("Failed to initialize the SCTP control sock\n");
+		return status;
+	}
+
+	status = sctp_sysctl_net_register(net);
+	if (status) {
+		inet_ctl_sock_destroy(net->sctp.ctl_sock);
+		net->sctp.ctl_sock = NULL;
+	}
 
 	return status;
 }
 
 static void __net_exit sctp_ctrlsock_exit(struct net *net)
 {
+	sctp_sysctl_net_unregister(net);
+
 	/* Free the control endpoint.  */
 	inet_ctl_sock_destroy(net->sctp.ctl_sock);
+	net->sctp.ctl_sock = NULL;
 }
 
 static struct pernet_operations sctp_ctrlsock_ops = {
diff --git a/net/sctp/sysctl.c b/net/sctp/sysctl.c
index 15e7db9a3ab2..fca840484ebf 100644
--- a/net/sctp/sysctl.c
+++ b/net/sctp/sysctl.c
@@ -615,11 +615,16 @@ int sctp_sysctl_net_register(struct net *net)
 
 void sctp_sysctl_net_unregister(struct net *net)
 {
+	struct ctl_table_header *header = net->sctp.sysctl_header;
 	const struct ctl_table *table;
 
-	table = net->sctp.sysctl_header->ctl_table_arg;
-	unregister_net_sysctl_table(net->sctp.sysctl_header);
+	if (!header)
+		return;
+
+	table = header->ctl_table_arg;
+	unregister_net_sysctl_table(header);
 	kfree(table);
+	net->sctp.sysctl_header = NULL;
 }
 
 static struct ctl_table_header *sctp_sysctl_header;