diff --git a/net/sched/act_api.c b/net/sched/act_api.c
index d09d068..6024920 100644
--- a/net/sched/act_api.c
+++ b/net/sched/act_api.c
@@ -341,22 +341,21 @@ int tcf_register_action(struct tc_action_ops *act,
 	if (!act->act || !act->dump || !act->init || !act->walk || !act->lookup)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	ret = register_pernet_subsys(ops);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	write_lock(&act_mod_lock);
 	list_for_each_entry(a, &act_base, head) {
 		if (act->type == a->type || (strcmp(act->kind, a->kind) == 0)) {
 			write_unlock(&act_mod_lock);
+			unregister_pernet_subsys(ops);
 			return -EEXIST;
 		}
 	}
 	list_add_tail(&act->head, &act_base);
 	write_unlock(&act_mod_lock);
 
-	ret = register_pernet_subsys(ops);
-	if (ret) {
-		tcf_unregister_action(act, ops);
-		return ret;
-	}
-
 	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(tcf_register_action);
@@ -367,8 +366,6 @@ int tcf_unregister_action(struct tc_action_ops *act,
 	struct tc_action_ops *a;
 	int err = -ENOENT;
 
-	unregister_pernet_subsys(ops);
-
 	write_lock(&act_mod_lock);
 	list_for_each_entry(a, &act_base, head) {
 		if (a == act) {
@@ -378,6 +375,8 @@ int tcf_unregister_action(struct tc_action_ops *act,
 		}
 	}
 	write_unlock(&act_mod_lock);
+	if (!err)
+		unregister_pernet_subsys(ops);
 	return err;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(tcf_unregister_action);