diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
index 9e0f8a7ef8b1..f1692e418fe4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
@@ -1207,7 +1207,6 @@ static int bond_master_upper_dev_link(struct net_device *bond_dev,
 	err = netdev_master_upper_dev_link_private(slave_dev, bond_dev, slave);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
-	slave_dev->flags |= IFF_SLAVE;
 	rtmsg_ifinfo(RTM_NEWLINK, slave_dev, IFF_SLAVE, GFP_KERNEL);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1465,6 +1464,9 @@ int bond_enslave(struct net_device *bond_dev, struct net_device *slave_dev)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* set slave flag before open to prevent IPv6 addrconf */
+	slave_dev->flags |= IFF_SLAVE;
+
 	/* open the slave since the application closed it */
 	res = dev_open(slave_dev);
 	if (res) {
@@ -1725,6 +1727,7 @@ err_close:
 	dev_close(slave_dev);
 
 err_restore_mac:
+	slave_dev->flags &= ~IFF_SLAVE;
 	if (!bond->params.fail_over_mac ||
 	    BOND_MODE(bond) != BOND_MODE_ACTIVEBACKUP) {
 		/* XXX TODO - fom follow mode needs to change master's