diff --git a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
index 3e49d28824ed9b..3d87040d1bfc7a 100644
--- a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
+++ b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ static void ax25_kill_by_device(struct net_device *dev)
 			lock_sock(sk);
 			s->ax25_dev = NULL;
 			ax25_dev_put(ax25_dev);
-			release_sock(sk);
 			ax25_disconnect(s, ENETUNREACH);
+			release_sock(sk);
 			spin_lock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
 			sock_put(sk);
 			/* The entry could have been deleted from the