diff --git a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
index 174e06e..e5bb870 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
@@ -2390,8 +2390,6 @@
 	spin_lock_bh(&pn->all_channels_lock);
 	list_del(&pch->list);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&pn->all_channels_lock);
-	put_net(pch->chan_net);
-	pch->chan_net = NULL;
 
 	pch->file.dead = 1;
 	wake_up_interruptible(&pch->file.rwait);
@@ -2984,6 +2982,9 @@
  */
 static void ppp_destroy_channel(struct channel *pch)
 {
+	put_net(pch->chan_net);
+	pch->chan_net = NULL;
+
 	atomic_dec(&channel_count);
 
 	if (!pch->file.dead) {