diff --git a/net/openvswitch/vport-internal_dev.c b/net/openvswitch/vport-internal_dev.c
index 21c90d3a7ebf..58a7b8312c28 100644
--- a/net/openvswitch/vport-internal_dev.c
+++ b/net/openvswitch/vport-internal_dev.c
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static void do_setup(struct net_device *netdev)
 	netdev->priv_flags |= IFF_LIVE_ADDR_CHANGE | IFF_OPENVSWITCH |
 			      IFF_NO_QUEUE;
 	netdev->needs_free_netdev = true;
-	netdev->priv_destructor = internal_dev_destructor;
+	netdev->priv_destructor = NULL;
 	netdev->ethtool_ops = &internal_dev_ethtool_ops;
 	netdev->rtnl_link_ops = &internal_dev_link_ops;
 
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ static struct vport *internal_dev_create(const struct vport_parms *parms)
 	struct internal_dev *internal_dev;
 	struct net_device *dev;
 	int err;
-	bool free_vport = true;
 
 	vport = ovs_vport_alloc(0, &ovs_internal_vport_ops, parms);
 	if (IS_ERR(vport)) {
@@ -190,10 +189,9 @@ static struct vport *internal_dev_create(const struct vport_parms *parms)
 
 	rtnl_lock();
 	err = register_netdevice(vport->dev);
-	if (err) {
-		free_vport = false;
+	if (err)
 		goto error_unlock;
-	}
+	vport->dev->priv_destructor = internal_dev_destructor;
 
 	dev_set_promiscuity(vport->dev, 1);
 	rtnl_unlock();
@@ -207,8 +205,7 @@ error_unlock:
 error_free_netdev:
 	free_netdev(dev);
 error_free_vport:
-	if (free_vport)
-		ovs_vport_free(vport);
+	ovs_vport_free(vport);
 error:
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 }