diff --git a/drivers/net/macsec.c b/drivers/net/macsec.c
index e2a3d1d5795f..9e97b66b26d3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macsec.c
@@ -3000,12 +3000,10 @@ static const struct nla_policy macsec_rtnl_policy[IFLA_MACSEC_MAX + 1] = {
 static void macsec_free_netdev(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct macsec_dev *macsec = macsec_priv(dev);
-	struct net_device *real_dev = macsec->real_dev;
 
 	free_percpu(macsec->stats);
 	free_percpu(macsec->secy.tx_sc.stats);
 
-	dev_put(real_dev);
 }
 
 static void macsec_setup(struct net_device *dev)
@@ -3260,8 +3258,6 @@ static int macsec_newlink(struct net *net, struct net_device *dev,
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 
-	dev_hold(real_dev);
-
 	macsec->nest_level = dev_get_nest_level(real_dev) + 1;
 
 	err = netdev_upper_dev_link(real_dev, dev, extack);