diff --git a/drivers/net/macvlan.c b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
index b339581e36aad..069e8824c264a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macvlan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
@@ -912,7 +912,7 @@ static int macvlan_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	port->count += 1;
 
 	/* Get macvlan's reference to lowerdev */
-	dev_hold(lowerdev);
+	dev_hold_track(lowerdev, &vlan->dev_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1181,7 +1181,7 @@ static void macvlan_dev_free(struct net_device *dev)
 	struct macvlan_dev *vlan = netdev_priv(dev);
 
 	/* Get rid of the macvlan's reference to lowerdev */
-	dev_put(vlan->lowerdev);
+	dev_put_track(vlan->lowerdev, &vlan->dev_tracker);
 }
 
 void macvlan_common_setup(struct net_device *dev)
diff --git a/include/linux/if_macvlan.h b/include/linux/if_macvlan.h
index 10c94a3936ca7..b422947390638 100644
--- a/include/linux/if_macvlan.h
+++ b/include/linux/if_macvlan.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ struct macvlan_dev {
 	struct hlist_node	hlist;
 	struct macvlan_port	*port;
 	struct net_device	*lowerdev;
+	netdevice_tracker	dev_tracker;
 	void			*accel_priv;
 	struct vlan_pcpu_stats __percpu *pcpu_stats;