diff --git a/drivers/net/netconsole.c b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
index be9aa368639f..dcfbe64c82bb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netconsole.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
@@ -727,6 +727,7 @@ static int netconsole_netdev_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 				/* rtnl_lock already held
 				 * we might sleep in __netpoll_cleanup()
 				 */
+				nt->enabled = false;
 				spin_unlock_irqrestore(&target_list_lock, flags);
 
 				__netpoll_cleanup(&nt->np);
@@ -734,7 +735,6 @@ static int netconsole_netdev_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 				spin_lock_irqsave(&target_list_lock, flags);
 				dev_put(nt->np.dev);
 				nt->np.dev = NULL;
-				nt->enabled = false;
 				stopped = true;
 				netconsole_target_put(nt);
 				goto restart;