diff --git a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
index a404552555d488..6722b83546184b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
@@ -1339,7 +1339,17 @@ ppp_get_stats64(struct net_device *dev, struct rtnl_link_stats64 *stats64)
 
 static int ppp_dev_init(struct net_device *dev)
 {
+	struct ppp *ppp;
+
 	netdev_lockdep_set_classes(dev);
+
+	ppp = netdev_priv(dev);
+	/* Let the netdevice take a reference on the ppp file. This ensures
+	 * that ppp_destroy_interface() won't run before the device gets
+	 * unregistered.
+	 */
+	atomic_inc(&ppp->file.refcnt);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1362,6 +1372,15 @@ static void ppp_dev_uninit(struct net_device *dev)
 	wake_up_interruptible(&ppp->file.rwait);
 }
 
+static void ppp_dev_priv_destructor(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	struct ppp *ppp;
+
+	ppp = netdev_priv(dev);
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&ppp->file.refcnt))
+		ppp_destroy_interface(ppp);
+}
+
 static const struct net_device_ops ppp_netdev_ops = {
 	.ndo_init	 = ppp_dev_init,
 	.ndo_uninit      = ppp_dev_uninit,
@@ -1387,6 +1406,7 @@ static void ppp_setup(struct net_device *dev)
 	dev->tx_queue_len = 3;
 	dev->type = ARPHRD_PPP;
 	dev->flags = IFF_POINTOPOINT | IFF_NOARP | IFF_MULTICAST;
+	dev->priv_destructor = ppp_dev_priv_destructor;
 	netif_keep_dst(dev);
 }