diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index 8ccce85562a1d..198cc8b74dc3e 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -3254,8 +3254,8 @@ static int __rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 	struct nlattr *slave_attr[RTNL_SLAVE_MAX_TYPE + 1];
 	unsigned char name_assign_type = NET_NAME_USER;
 	struct nlattr *linkinfo[IFLA_INFO_MAX + 1];
-	const struct rtnl_link_ops *m_ops = NULL;
-	struct net_device *master_dev = NULL;
+	const struct rtnl_link_ops *m_ops;
+	struct net_device *master_dev;
 	struct net *net = sock_net(skb->sk);
 	const struct rtnl_link_ops *ops;
 	struct nlattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
@@ -3293,6 +3293,8 @@ static int __rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 	else
 		dev = NULL;
 
+	master_dev = NULL;
+	m_ops = NULL;
 	if (dev) {
 		master_dev = netdev_master_upper_dev_get(dev);
 		if (master_dev)