diff --git a/net/ipv6/route.c b/net/ipv6/route.c
index 4ef4bbdb49d4..0302e0eb07af 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/route.c
@@ -1040,14 +1040,20 @@ static struct rt6_info *ip6_create_rt_rcu(struct fib6_info *rt)
 	struct rt6_info *nrt;
 
 	if (!fib6_info_hold_safe(rt))
-		return NULL;
+		goto fallback;
 
 	nrt = ip6_dst_alloc(dev_net(dev), dev, flags);
-	if (nrt)
-		ip6_rt_copy_init(nrt, rt);
-	else
+	if (!nrt) {
 		fib6_info_release(rt);
+		goto fallback;
+	}
 
+	ip6_rt_copy_init(nrt, rt);
+	return nrt;
+
+fallback:
+	nrt = dev_net(dev)->ipv6.ip6_null_entry;
+	dst_hold(&nrt->dst);
 	return nrt;
 }
 
@@ -1096,10 +1102,6 @@ static struct rt6_info *ip6_pol_route_lookup(struct net *net,
 		dst_hold(&rt->dst);
 	} else {
 		rt = ip6_create_rt_rcu(f6i);
-		if (!rt) {
-			rt = net->ipv6.ip6_null_entry;
-			dst_hold(&rt->dst);
-		}
 	}
 
 	rcu_read_unlock();