diff --git a/net/core/net_namespace.c b/net/core/net_namespace.c
index 1180c217895a..81384386f91b 100644
--- a/net/core/net_namespace.c
+++ b/net/core/net_namespace.c
@@ -411,27 +411,25 @@ struct net *copy_net_ns(unsigned long flags,
 
 	net = net_alloc();
 	if (!net) {
-		dec_net_namespaces(ucounts);
-		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
+		rv = -ENOMEM;
+		goto dec_ucounts;
 	}
-
+	refcount_set(&net->passive, 1);
+	net->ucounts = ucounts;
 	get_user_ns(user_ns);
 
 	rv = mutex_lock_killable(&net_mutex);
-	if (rv < 0) {
-		net_free(net);
-		dec_net_namespaces(ucounts);
-		put_user_ns(user_ns);
-		return ERR_PTR(rv);
-	}
+	if (rv < 0)
+		goto put_userns;
 
-	net->ucounts = ucounts;
 	rv = setup_net(net, user_ns);
 	mutex_unlock(&net_mutex);
 	if (rv < 0) {
-		dec_net_namespaces(ucounts);
+put_userns:
 		put_user_ns(user_ns);
 		net_drop_ns(net);
+dec_ucounts:
+		dec_net_namespaces(ucounts);
 		return ERR_PTR(rv);
 	}
 	return net;