diff --git a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
index 2adad6e2e94a..3748426b8010 100644
--- a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
+++ b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
@@ -1528,9 +1528,11 @@ static void drop_sysctl_table(struct ctl_table_header *header)
 	if (--header->nreg)
 		return;
 
-	if (parent)
+	if (parent) {
 		put_links(header);
-	start_unregistering(header);
+		start_unregistering(header);
+	}
+
 	if (!--header->count)
 		kfree_rcu(header, rcu);