diff --git a/drivers/vhost/net.c b/drivers/vhost/net.c
index 686dc670fd29..29756d88799b 100644
--- a/drivers/vhost/net.c
+++ b/drivers/vhost/net.c
@@ -1226,7 +1226,8 @@ static long vhost_net_set_backend(struct vhost_net *n, unsigned index, int fd)
 	if (ubufs)
 		vhost_net_ubuf_put_wait_and_free(ubufs);
 err_ubufs:
-	sockfd_put(sock);
+	if (sock)
+		sockfd_put(sock);
 err_vq:
 	mutex_unlock(&vq->mutex);
 err: