diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index 3fb6fb67ed77e..5f6e2c0b0c903 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -1948,6 +1948,8 @@ enum netdev_ml_priv_type {
  *	@dev_addr_shadow:	Copy of @dev_addr to catch direct writes.
  *	@linkwatch_dev_tracker:	refcount tracker used by linkwatch.
  *	@watchdog_dev_tracker:	refcount tracker used by watchdog.
+ *	@dev_registered_tracker:	tracker for reference held while
+ *					registered
  *
  *	FIXME: cleanup struct net_device such that network protocol info
  *	moves out.
@@ -2282,6 +2284,7 @@ struct net_device {
 	u8 dev_addr_shadow[MAX_ADDR_LEN];
 	netdevice_tracker	linkwatch_dev_tracker;
 	netdevice_tracker	watchdog_dev_tracker;
+	netdevice_tracker	dev_registered_tracker;
 };
 #define to_net_dev(d) container_of(d, struct net_device, dev)
 
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index f662c6a7d7b49..66556a21800a9 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -9683,8 +9683,10 @@ int register_netdevice(struct net_device *dev)
 	linkwatch_init_dev(dev);
 
 	dev_init_scheduler(dev);
-	dev_hold(dev);
+
+	dev_hold_track(dev, &dev->dev_registered_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
 	list_netdevice(dev);
+
 	add_device_randomness(dev->dev_addr, dev->addr_len);
 
 	/* If the device has permanent device address, driver should
@@ -10449,7 +10451,7 @@ void unregister_netdevice_many(struct list_head *head)
 	synchronize_net();
 
 	list_for_each_entry(dev, head, unreg_list) {
-		dev_put(dev);
+		dev_put_track(dev, &dev->dev_registered_tracker);
 		net_set_todo(dev);
 	}