diff --git a/net/core/net_namespace.c b/net/core/net_namespace.c
index 3cad5f51afd3..1180c217895a 100644
--- a/net/core/net_namespace.c
+++ b/net/core/net_namespace.c
@@ -303,6 +303,9 @@ static __net_init int setup_net(struct net *net, struct user_namespace *user_ns)
 		if (error < 0)
 			goto out_undo;
 	}
+	rtnl_lock();
+	list_add_tail_rcu(&net->list, &net_namespace_list);
+	rtnl_unlock();
 out:
 	return error;
 
@@ -424,11 +427,6 @@ struct net *copy_net_ns(unsigned long flags,
 
 	net->ucounts = ucounts;
 	rv = setup_net(net, user_ns);
-	if (rv == 0) {
-		rtnl_lock();
-		list_add_tail_rcu(&net->list, &net_namespace_list);
-		rtnl_unlock();
-	}
 	mutex_unlock(&net_mutex);
 	if (rv < 0) {
 		dec_net_namespaces(ucounts);
@@ -880,11 +878,6 @@ static int __init net_ns_init(void)
 		panic("Could not setup the initial network namespace");
 
 	init_net_initialized = true;
-
-	rtnl_lock();
-	list_add_tail_rcu(&init_net.list, &net_namespace_list);
-	rtnl_unlock();
-
 	mutex_unlock(&net_mutex);
 
 	register_pernet_subsys(&net_ns_ops);