diff --git a/net/devlink/core.c b/net/devlink/core.c
index 6a58342752b4..7f0b093208d7 100644
--- a/net/devlink/core.c
+++ b/net/devlink/core.c
@@ -529,14 +529,20 @@ static int __init devlink_init(void)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	err = genl_register_family(&devlink_nl_family);
-	if (err)
-		goto out;
 	err = register_pernet_subsys(&devlink_pernet_ops);
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
+	err = genl_register_family(&devlink_nl_family);
+	if (err)
+		goto out_unreg_pernet_subsys;
 	err = register_netdevice_notifier(&devlink_port_netdevice_nb);
+	if (!err)
+		return 0;
 
+	genl_unregister_family(&devlink_nl_family);
+
+out_unreg_pernet_subsys:
+	unregister_pernet_subsys(&devlink_pernet_ops);
 out:
 	WARN_ON(err);
 	return err;