diff --git a/include/net/net_namespace.h b/include/net/net_namespace.h
index 873c0f9fdac6..f943bd79ef03 100644
--- a/include/net/net_namespace.h
+++ b/include/net/net_namespace.h
@@ -325,6 +325,11 @@ static inline int check_net(const struct net *net)
 #define net_drop_ns NULL
 #endif
 
+/* Returns true if the netns initialization is completed successfully */
+static inline bool net_initialized(const struct net *net)
+{
+	return READ_ONCE(net->list.next);
+}
 
 static inline void __netns_tracker_alloc(struct net *net,
 					 netns_tracker *tracker,
diff --git a/net/ipv4/ipmr.c b/net/ipv4/ipmr.c
index c5b8ec5c0a8c..99d8faa508e5 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ipmr.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ipmr.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ static void ipmr_expire_process(struct timer_list *t);
 
 static bool ipmr_can_free_table(struct net *net)
 {
-	return !check_net(net) || !net->ipv4.mr_rules_ops;
+	return !check_net(net) || !net_initialized(net);
 }
 
 static struct mr_table *ipmr_mr_table_iter(struct net *net,
diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c b/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c
index 7f1902ac3586..578ff1336afe 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6mr.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ static void ipmr_expire_process(struct timer_list *t);
 
 static bool ip6mr_can_free_table(struct net *net)
 {
-	return !check_net(net) || !net->ipv6.mr6_rules_ops;
+	return !check_net(net) || !net_initialized(net);
 }
 
 static struct mr_table *ip6mr_mr_table_iter(struct net *net,