diff --git a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
index 7d736cd3ee91..c232ededeaa2 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
@@ -797,7 +797,11 @@ void fib_del_ifaddr(struct in_ifaddr *ifa, struct in_ifaddr *iprim)
 	if (ifa->ifa_flags & IFA_F_SECONDARY) {
 		prim = inet_ifa_byprefix(in_dev, any, ifa->ifa_mask);
 		if (prim == NULL) {
-			pr_warn("%s: bug: prim == NULL\n", __func__);
+			/* if the device has been deleted, we don't perform
+			 * address promotion
+			 */
+			if (!in_dev->dead)
+				pr_warn("%s: bug: prim == NULL\n", __func__);
 			return;
 		}
 		if (iprim && iprim != prim) {