diff --git a/net/core/netpoll.c b/net/core/netpoll.c
index a5ad1c1c4b18..a9b10048388a 100644
--- a/net/core/netpoll.c
+++ b/net/core/netpoll.c
@@ -1056,6 +1056,7 @@ int netpoll_setup(struct netpoll *np)
 		err = -ENODEV;
 		goto unlock;
 	}
+	dev_hold(ndev);
 
 	if (netdev_master_upper_dev_get(ndev)) {
 		np_err(np, "%s is a slave device, aborting\n", np->dev_name);