diff --git a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
index f52d27a422c3..08259d078b1c 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
@@ -1298,14 +1298,19 @@ err_table_hash_alloc:
 
 static void ip_fib_net_exit(struct net *net)
 {
-	unsigned int i;
+	int i;
 
 	rtnl_lock();
 #ifdef CONFIG_IP_MULTIPLE_TABLES
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(net->ipv4.fib_main, NULL);
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(net->ipv4.fib_default, NULL);
 #endif
-	for (i = 0; i < FIB_TABLE_HASHSZ; i++) {
+	/* Destroy the tables in reverse order to guarantee that the
+	 * local table, ID 255, is destroyed before the main table, ID
+	 * 254. This is necessary as the local table may contain
+	 * references to data contained in the main table.
+	 */
+	for (i = FIB_TABLE_HASHSZ - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
 		struct hlist_head *head = &net->ipv4.fib_table_hash[i];
 		struct hlist_node *tmp;
 		struct fib_table *tb;