diff --git a/drivers/net/can/vxcan.c b/drivers/net/can/vxcan.c
index da7c72105fb6..ca8811941085 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/vxcan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/vxcan.c
@@ -172,13 +172,12 @@ static void vxcan_setup(struct net_device *dev)
 /* forward declaration for rtnl_create_link() */
 static struct rtnl_link_ops vxcan_link_ops;
 
-static int vxcan_newlink(struct net *net, struct net_device *dev,
+static int vxcan_newlink(struct net *peer_net, struct net_device *dev,
 			 struct nlattr *tb[], struct nlattr *data[],
 			 struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
 	struct vxcan_priv *priv;
 	struct net_device *peer;
-	struct net *peer_net;
 
 	struct nlattr *peer_tb[IFLA_MAX + 1], **tbp = tb;
 	char ifname[IFNAMSIZ];
@@ -203,20 +202,15 @@ static int vxcan_newlink(struct net *net, struct net_device *dev,
 		name_assign_type = NET_NAME_ENUM;
 	}
 
-	peer_net = rtnl_link_get_net(net, tbp);
 	peer = rtnl_create_link(peer_net, ifname, name_assign_type,
 				&vxcan_link_ops, tbp, extack);
-	if (IS_ERR(peer)) {
-		put_net(peer_net);
+	if (IS_ERR(peer))
 		return PTR_ERR(peer);
-	}
 
 	if (ifmp && dev->ifindex)
 		peer->ifindex = ifmp->ifi_index;
 
 	err = register_netdevice(peer);
-	put_net(peer_net);
-	peer_net = NULL;
 	if (err < 0) {
 		free_netdev(peer);
 		return err;
diff --git a/drivers/net/netkit.c b/drivers/net/netkit.c
index bb07725d1c72..c1d881dc6409 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netkit.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netkit.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ static int netkit_validate(struct nlattr *tb[], struct nlattr *data[],
 
 static struct rtnl_link_ops netkit_link_ops;
 
-static int netkit_new_link(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
+static int netkit_new_link(struct net *peer_net, struct net_device *dev,
 			   struct nlattr *tb[], struct nlattr *data[],
 			   struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
@@ -342,7 +342,6 @@ static int netkit_new_link(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	struct net_device *peer;
 	char ifname[IFNAMSIZ];
 	struct netkit *nk;
-	struct net *net;
 	int err;
 
 	if (data) {
@@ -385,13 +384,10 @@ static int netkit_new_link(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	    (tb[IFLA_ADDRESS] || tbp[IFLA_ADDRESS]))
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
-	net = rtnl_link_get_net(src_net, tbp);
-	peer = rtnl_create_link(net, ifname, ifname_assign_type,
+	peer = rtnl_create_link(peer_net, ifname, ifname_assign_type,
 				&netkit_link_ops, tbp, extack);
-	if (IS_ERR(peer)) {
-		put_net(net);
+	if (IS_ERR(peer))
 		return PTR_ERR(peer);
-	}
 
 	netif_inherit_tso_max(peer, dev);
 
@@ -408,7 +404,6 @@ static int netkit_new_link(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	bpf_mprog_bundle_init(&nk->bundle);
 
 	err = register_netdevice(peer);
-	put_net(net);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto err_register_peer;
 	netif_carrier_off(peer);
diff --git a/drivers/net/veth.c b/drivers/net/veth.c
index 0d6d0d749d44..07ebb800edf1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/veth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/veth.c
@@ -1765,7 +1765,7 @@ static int veth_init_queues(struct net_device *dev, struct nlattr *tb[])
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int veth_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
+static int veth_newlink(struct net *peer_net, struct net_device *dev,
 			struct nlattr *tb[], struct nlattr *data[],
 			struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
@@ -1776,7 +1776,6 @@ static int veth_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	struct nlattr *peer_tb[IFLA_MAX + 1], **tbp;
 	unsigned char name_assign_type;
 	struct ifinfomsg *ifmp;
-	struct net *net;
 
 	/*
 	 * create and register peer first
@@ -1800,13 +1799,10 @@ static int veth_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 		name_assign_type = NET_NAME_ENUM;
 	}
 
-	net = rtnl_link_get_net(src_net, tbp);
-	peer = rtnl_create_link(net, ifname, name_assign_type,
+	peer = rtnl_create_link(peer_net, ifname, name_assign_type,
 				&veth_link_ops, tbp, extack);
-	if (IS_ERR(peer)) {
-		put_net(net);
+	if (IS_ERR(peer))
 		return PTR_ERR(peer);
-	}
 
 	if (!ifmp || !tbp[IFLA_ADDRESS])
 		eth_hw_addr_random(peer);
@@ -1817,8 +1813,6 @@ static int veth_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	netif_inherit_tso_max(peer, dev);
 
 	err = register_netdevice(peer);
-	put_net(net);
-	net = NULL;
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto err_register_peer;
 
diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index 58df76fe408a..ab5f201bf0ab 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -3746,6 +3746,7 @@ static int rtnl_group_changelink(const struct sk_buff *skb,
 static int rtnl_newlink_create(struct sk_buff *skb, struct ifinfomsg *ifm,
 			       const struct rtnl_link_ops *ops,
 			       struct net *tgt_net, struct net *link_net,
+			       struct net *peer_net,
 			       const struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 			       struct nlattr **tb, struct nlattr **data,
 			       struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
@@ -3776,8 +3777,13 @@ static int rtnl_newlink_create(struct sk_buff *skb, struct ifinfomsg *ifm,
 
 	dev->ifindex = ifm->ifi_index;
 
+	if (link_net)
+		net = link_net;
+	if (peer_net)
+		net = peer_net;
+
 	if (ops->newlink)
-		err = ops->newlink(link_net ? : net, dev, tb, data, extack);
+		err = ops->newlink(net, dev, tb, data, extack);
 	else
 		err = register_netdevice(dev);
 	if (err < 0) {
@@ -3812,40 +3818,33 @@ static int rtnl_newlink_create(struct sk_buff *skb, struct ifinfomsg *ifm,
 	goto out;
 }
 
-static int rtnl_add_peer_net(struct rtnl_nets *rtnl_nets,
-			     const struct rtnl_link_ops *ops,
-			     struct nlattr *data[],
-			     struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
+static struct net *rtnl_get_peer_net(const struct rtnl_link_ops *ops,
+				     struct nlattr *data[],
+				     struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
 	struct nlattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
-	struct net *net;
 	int err;
 
 	if (!data || !data[ops->peer_type])
-		return 0;
+		return NULL;
 
 	err = rtnl_nla_parse_ifinfomsg(tb, data[ops->peer_type], extack);
 	if (err < 0)
-		return err;
+		return ERR_PTR(err);
 
 	if (ops->validate) {
 		err = ops->validate(tb, NULL, extack);
 		if (err < 0)
-			return err;
+			return ERR_PTR(err);
 	}
 
-	net = rtnl_link_get_net_ifla(tb);
-	if (IS_ERR(net))
-		return PTR_ERR(net);
-	if (net)
-		rtnl_nets_add(rtnl_nets, net);
-
-	return 0;
+	return rtnl_link_get_net_ifla(tb);
 }
 
 static int __rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 			  const struct rtnl_link_ops *ops,
 			  struct net *tgt_net, struct net *link_net,
+			  struct net *peer_net,
 			  struct rtnl_newlink_tbs *tbs,
 			  struct nlattr **data,
 			  struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
@@ -3894,14 +3893,15 @@ static int __rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 	}
 
-	return rtnl_newlink_create(skb, ifm, ops, tgt_net, link_net, nlh, tb, data, extack);
+	return rtnl_newlink_create(skb, ifm, ops, tgt_net, link_net, peer_net, nlh,
+				   tb, data, extack);
 }
 
 static int rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 			struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
+	struct net *tgt_net, *link_net = NULL, *peer_net = NULL;
 	struct nlattr **tb, **linkinfo, **data = NULL;
-	struct net *tgt_net, *link_net = NULL;
 	struct rtnl_link_ops *ops = NULL;
 	struct rtnl_newlink_tbs *tbs;
 	struct rtnl_nets rtnl_nets;
@@ -3971,9 +3971,11 @@ static int rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 		}
 
 		if (ops->peer_type) {
-			ret = rtnl_add_peer_net(&rtnl_nets, ops, data, extack);
-			if (ret < 0)
+			peer_net = rtnl_get_peer_net(ops, data, extack);
+			if (IS_ERR(peer_net))
 				goto put_ops;
+			if (peer_net)
+				rtnl_nets_add(&rtnl_nets, peer_net);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -4004,7 +4006,7 @@ static int rtnl_newlink(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh,
 	}
 
 	rtnl_nets_lock(&rtnl_nets);
-	ret = __rtnl_newlink(skb, nlh, ops, tgt_net, link_net, tbs, data, extack);
+	ret = __rtnl_newlink(skb, nlh, ops, tgt_net, link_net, peer_net, tbs, data, extack);
 	rtnl_nets_unlock(&rtnl_nets);
 
 put_net: