diff --git a/drivers/net/veth.c b/drivers/net/veth.c
index a475f48d43c4..e40ca62a046a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/veth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/veth.c
@@ -1394,7 +1394,9 @@ static int veth_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	return 0;
 
 err_register_dev:
-	/* nothing to do */
+	priv = netdev_priv(dev);
+	if (priv->rq)
+		veth_dev_free(dev);
 err_configure_peer:
 	unregister_netdevice(peer);
 	return err;