diff --git a/net/tipc/bcast.c b/net/tipc/bcast.c
index 9eceaa72f21b..ef8cff4ad743 100644
--- a/net/tipc/bcast.c
+++ b/net/tipc/bcast.c
@@ -100,12 +100,9 @@ struct tipc_bclink {
 	struct tipc_node *retransmit_to;
 };
 
-static struct tipc_bcbearer bcast_bearer;
-static struct tipc_bclink bcast_link;
-
-static struct tipc_bcbearer *bcbearer = &bcast_bearer;
-static struct tipc_bclink *bclink = &bcast_link;
-static struct tipc_link *bcl = &bcast_link.link;
+static struct tipc_bcbearer *bcbearer;
+static struct tipc_bclink *bclink;
+static struct tipc_link *bcl;
 
 const char tipc_bclink_name[] = "broadcast-link";
 
@@ -788,8 +785,19 @@ int tipc_bclink_set_queue_limits(u32 limit)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void tipc_bclink_init(void)
+int tipc_bclink_init(void)
 {
+	bcbearer = kzalloc(sizeof(*bcbearer), GFP_ATOMIC);
+	if (!bcbearer)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	bclink = kzalloc(sizeof(*bclink), GFP_ATOMIC);
+	if (!bclink) {
+		kfree(bcbearer);
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
+	bcl = &bclink->link;
 	bcbearer->bearer.media = &bcbearer->media;
 	bcbearer->media.send_msg = tipc_bcbearer_send;
 	sprintf(bcbearer->media.name, "tipc-broadcast");
@@ -805,6 +813,7 @@ void tipc_bclink_init(void)
 	rcu_assign_pointer(bearer_list[MAX_BEARERS], &bcbearer->bearer);
 	bcl->state = WORKING_WORKING;
 	strlcpy(bcl->name, tipc_bclink_name, TIPC_MAX_LINK_NAME);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void tipc_bclink_stop(void)
@@ -814,8 +823,9 @@ void tipc_bclink_stop(void)
 	tipc_bclink_unlock();
 
 	RCU_INIT_POINTER(bearer_list[BCBEARER], NULL);
-	memset(bclink, 0, sizeof(*bclink));
-	memset(bcbearer, 0, sizeof(*bcbearer));
+	synchronize_net();
+	kfree(bcbearer);
+	kfree(bclink);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/net/tipc/bcast.h b/net/tipc/bcast.h
index 7c1ef1b3d7b3..ea162c7b30ee 100644
--- a/net/tipc/bcast.h
+++ b/net/tipc/bcast.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static inline int tipc_nmap_equal(struct tipc_node_map *nm_a,
 void tipc_port_list_add(struct tipc_port_list *pl_ptr, u32 port);
 void tipc_port_list_free(struct tipc_port_list *pl_ptr);
 
-void tipc_bclink_init(void);
+int tipc_bclink_init(void);
 void tipc_bclink_stop(void);
 void tipc_bclink_add_node(u32 addr);
 void tipc_bclink_remove_node(u32 addr);
diff --git a/net/tipc/config.c b/net/tipc/config.c
index 251f5a2028e4..2b42403ad33a 100644
--- a/net/tipc/config.c
+++ b/net/tipc/config.c
@@ -177,8 +177,10 @@ static struct sk_buff *cfg_set_own_addr(void)
 	if (tipc_own_addr)
 		return tipc_cfg_reply_error_string(TIPC_CFG_NOT_SUPPORTED
 						   " (cannot change node address once assigned)");
-	tipc_net_start(addr);
-	return tipc_cfg_reply_none();
+	if (!tipc_net_start(addr))
+		return tipc_cfg_reply_none();
+
+	return tipc_cfg_reply_error_string("cannot change to network mode");
 }
 
 static struct sk_buff *cfg_set_max_ports(void)
diff --git a/net/tipc/net.c b/net/tipc/net.c
index 75bb39025d53..f8fc95d58c0d 100644
--- a/net/tipc/net.c
+++ b/net/tipc/net.c
@@ -164,20 +164,25 @@ void tipc_net_route_msg(struct sk_buff *buf)
 	tipc_link_xmit(buf, dnode, msg_link_selector(msg));
 }
 
-void tipc_net_start(u32 addr)
+int tipc_net_start(u32 addr)
 {
 	char addr_string[16];
+	int res;
 
 	tipc_own_addr = addr;
 	tipc_named_reinit();
 	tipc_port_reinit();
-	tipc_bclink_init();
+	res = tipc_bclink_init();
+	if (res)
+		return res;
+
 	tipc_nametbl_publish(TIPC_CFG_SRV, tipc_own_addr, tipc_own_addr,
 			     TIPC_ZONE_SCOPE, 0, tipc_own_addr);
 
 	pr_info("Started in network mode\n");
 	pr_info("Own node address %s, network identity %u\n",
 		tipc_addr_string_fill(addr_string, tipc_own_addr), tipc_net_id);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void tipc_net_stop(void)
diff --git a/net/tipc/net.h b/net/tipc/net.h
index f781cae8df4b..c6c2b46f7c28 100644
--- a/net/tipc/net.h
+++ b/net/tipc/net.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 
 void tipc_net_route_msg(struct sk_buff *buf);
 
-void tipc_net_start(u32 addr);
+int tipc_net_start(u32 addr);
 void tipc_net_stop(void);
 
 #endif