diff --git a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
index dccfd9c2086f578387c57dca7df94776897f362f..37a333d0ee03431a060f4ef3fd9707f61ed1cad5 100644
--- a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
+++ b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
@@ -90,6 +90,13 @@ static void ax25_kill_by_device(struct net_device *dev)
 	ax25_for_each(s, &ax25_list) {
 		if (s->ax25_dev == ax25_dev) {
 			sk = s->sk;
+			if (!sk) {
+				spin_unlock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
+				s->ax25_dev = NULL;
+				ax25_disconnect(s, ENETUNREACH);
+				spin_lock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
+				goto again;
+			}
 			sock_hold(sk);
 			spin_unlock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
 			lock_sock(sk);