diff --git a/drivers/net/net_failover.c b/drivers/net/net_failover.c
index 7ae1856d1f18..5a749dc25bec 100644
--- a/drivers/net/net_failover.c
+++ b/drivers/net/net_failover.c
@@ -603,6 +603,9 @@ static int net_failover_slave_unregister(struct net_device *slave_dev,
 	primary_dev = rtnl_dereference(nfo_info->primary_dev);
 	standby_dev = rtnl_dereference(nfo_info->standby_dev);
 
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(slave_dev != primary_dev && slave_dev != standby_dev))
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	vlan_vids_del_by_dev(slave_dev, failover_dev);
 	dev_uc_unsync(slave_dev, failover_dev);
 	dev_mc_unsync(slave_dev, failover_dev);