diff --git a/net/openvswitch/datapath.c b/net/openvswitch/datapath.c
index cb5d64a5c759..f3bcdac80bda 100644
--- a/net/openvswitch/datapath.c
+++ b/net/openvswitch/datapath.c
@@ -1164,23 +1164,9 @@ error:
 	return -EMSGSIZE;
 }
 
-/* Must be called with ovs_mutex. */
-static struct sk_buff *ovs_dp_cmd_build_info(struct datapath *dp,
-					     struct genl_info *info, u8 cmd)
+static struct sk_buff *ovs_dp_cmd_alloc_info(struct genl_info *info)
 {
-	struct sk_buff *skb;
-	int retval;
-
-	skb = genlmsg_new_unicast(ovs_dp_cmd_msg_size(), info, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!skb)
-		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
-
-	retval = ovs_dp_cmd_fill_info(dp, skb, info->snd_portid, info->snd_seq, 0, cmd);
-	if (retval < 0) {
-		kfree_skb(skb);
-		return ERR_PTR(retval);
-	}
-	return skb;
+	return genlmsg_new_unicast(ovs_dp_cmd_msg_size(), info, GFP_KERNEL);
 }
 
 /* Called with rcu_read_lock or ovs_mutex. */
@@ -1233,12 +1219,14 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_new(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	if (!a[OVS_DP_ATTR_NAME] || !a[OVS_DP_ATTR_UPCALL_PID])
 		goto err;
 
-	ovs_lock();
+	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_alloc_info(info);
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	err = -ENOMEM;
 	dp = kzalloc(sizeof(*dp), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (dp == NULL)
-		goto err_unlock_ovs;
+		goto err_free_reply;
 
 	ovs_dp_set_net(dp, hold_net(sock_net(skb->sk)));
 
@@ -1273,6 +1261,9 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_new(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 
 	ovs_dp_change(dp, a);
 
+	/* So far only local changes have been made, now need the lock. */
+	ovs_lock();
+
 	vport = new_vport(&parms);
 	if (IS_ERR(vport)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(vport);
@@ -1291,10 +1282,9 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_new(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 		goto err_destroy_ports_array;
 	}
 
-	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_build_info(dp, info, OVS_DP_CMD_NEW);
-	err = PTR_ERR(reply);
-	if (IS_ERR(reply))
-		goto err_destroy_local_port;
+	err = ovs_dp_cmd_fill_info(dp, reply, info->snd_portid,
+				   info->snd_seq, 0, OVS_DP_CMD_NEW);
+	BUG_ON(err < 0);
 
 	ovs_net = net_generic(ovs_dp_get_net(dp), ovs_net_id);
 	list_add_tail_rcu(&dp->list_node, &ovs_net->dps);
@@ -1304,9 +1294,8 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_new(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	ovs_notify(&dp_datapath_genl_family, reply, info);
 	return 0;
 
-err_destroy_local_port:
-	ovs_dp_detach_port(ovs_vport_ovsl(dp, OVSP_LOCAL));
 err_destroy_ports_array:
+	ovs_unlock();
 	kfree(dp->ports);
 err_destroy_percpu:
 	free_percpu(dp->stats_percpu);
@@ -1315,8 +1304,8 @@ err_destroy_table:
 err_free_dp:
 	release_net(ovs_dp_get_net(dp));
 	kfree(dp);
-err_unlock_ovs:
-	ovs_unlock();
+err_free_reply:
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 err:
 	return err;
 }
@@ -1354,16 +1343,19 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_del(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	struct datapath *dp;
 	int err;
 
+	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_alloc_info(info);
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	ovs_lock();
 	dp = lookup_datapath(sock_net(skb->sk), info->userhdr, info->attrs);
 	err = PTR_ERR(dp);
 	if (IS_ERR(dp))
-		goto unlock;
+		goto err_unlock_free;
 
-	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_build_info(dp, info, OVS_DP_CMD_DEL);
-	err = PTR_ERR(reply);
-	if (IS_ERR(reply))
-		goto unlock;
+	err = ovs_dp_cmd_fill_info(dp, reply, info->snd_portid,
+				   info->snd_seq, 0, OVS_DP_CMD_DEL);
+	BUG_ON(err < 0);
 
 	__dp_destroy(dp);
 	ovs_unlock();
@@ -1371,8 +1363,10 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_del(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	ovs_notify(&dp_datapath_genl_family, reply, info);
 
 	return 0;
-unlock:
+
+err_unlock_free:
 	ovs_unlock();
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1382,29 +1376,30 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_set(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	struct datapath *dp;
 	int err;
 
+	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_alloc_info(info);
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	ovs_lock();
 	dp = lookup_datapath(sock_net(skb->sk), info->userhdr, info->attrs);
 	err = PTR_ERR(dp);
 	if (IS_ERR(dp))
-		goto unlock;
+		goto err_unlock_free;
 
 	ovs_dp_change(dp, info->attrs);
 
-	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_build_info(dp, info, OVS_DP_CMD_NEW);
-	if (IS_ERR(reply)) {
-		err = PTR_ERR(reply);
-		genl_set_err(&dp_datapath_genl_family, sock_net(skb->sk), 0,
-			     0, err);
-		err = 0;
-		goto unlock;
-	}
+	err = ovs_dp_cmd_fill_info(dp, reply, info->snd_portid,
+				   info->snd_seq, 0, OVS_DP_CMD_NEW);
+	BUG_ON(err < 0);
 
 	ovs_unlock();
 	ovs_notify(&dp_datapath_genl_family, reply, info);
 
 	return 0;
-unlock:
+
+err_unlock_free:
 	ovs_unlock();
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1414,24 +1409,26 @@ static int ovs_dp_cmd_get(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	struct datapath *dp;
 	int err;
 
-	ovs_lock();
+	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_alloc_info(info);
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	rcu_read_lock();
 	dp = lookup_datapath(sock_net(skb->sk), info->userhdr, info->attrs);
 	if (IS_ERR(dp)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(dp);
-		goto unlock;
+		goto err_unlock_free;
 	}
+	err = ovs_dp_cmd_fill_info(dp, reply, info->snd_portid,
+				   info->snd_seq, 0, OVS_DP_CMD_NEW);
+	BUG_ON(err < 0);
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 
-	reply = ovs_dp_cmd_build_info(dp, info, OVS_DP_CMD_NEW);
-	if (IS_ERR(reply)) {
-		err = PTR_ERR(reply);
-		goto unlock;
-	}
-
-	ovs_unlock();
 	return genlmsg_reply(reply, info);
 
-unlock:
-	ovs_unlock();
+err_unlock_free:
+	rcu_read_unlock();
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1544,7 +1541,12 @@ error:
 	return err;
 }
 
-/* Called with ovs_mutex or RCU read lock. */
+static struct sk_buff *ovs_vport_cmd_alloc_info(void)
+{
+	return nlmsg_new(NLMSG_DEFAULT_SIZE, GFP_KERNEL);
+}
+
+/* Called with ovs_mutex, only via ovs_dp_notify_wq(). */
 struct sk_buff *ovs_vport_cmd_build_info(struct vport *vport, u32 portid,
 					 u32 seq, u8 cmd)
 {
@@ -1606,33 +1608,35 @@ static int ovs_vport_cmd_new(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	u32 port_no;
 	int err;
 
-	err = -EINVAL;
 	if (!a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_NAME] || !a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_TYPE] ||
 	    !a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_UPCALL_PID])
-		goto exit;
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	port_no = a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_PORT_NO]
+		? nla_get_u32(a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_PORT_NO]) : 0;
+	if (port_no >= DP_MAX_PORTS)
+		return -EFBIG;
+
+	reply = ovs_vport_cmd_alloc_info();
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	ovs_lock();
 	dp = get_dp(sock_net(skb->sk), ovs_header->dp_ifindex);
 	err = -ENODEV;
 	if (!dp)
-		goto exit_unlock;
-
-	if (a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_PORT_NO]) {
-		port_no = nla_get_u32(a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_PORT_NO]);
-
-		err = -EFBIG;
-		if (port_no >= DP_MAX_PORTS)
-			goto exit_unlock;
+		goto exit_unlock_free;
 
+	if (port_no) {
 		vport = ovs_vport_ovsl(dp, port_no);
 		err = -EBUSY;
 		if (vport)
-			goto exit_unlock;
+			goto exit_unlock_free;
 	} else {
 		for (port_no = 1; ; port_no++) {
 			if (port_no >= DP_MAX_PORTS) {
 				err = -EFBIG;
-				goto exit_unlock;
+				goto exit_unlock_free;
 			}
 			vport = ovs_vport_ovsl(dp, port_no);
 			if (!vport)
@@ -1650,22 +1654,19 @@ static int ovs_vport_cmd_new(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	vport = new_vport(&parms);
 	err = PTR_ERR(vport);
 	if (IS_ERR(vport))
-		goto exit_unlock;
+		goto exit_unlock_free;
 
-	err = 0;
-	reply = ovs_vport_cmd_build_info(vport, info->snd_portid, info->snd_seq,
-					 OVS_VPORT_CMD_NEW);
-	if (IS_ERR(reply)) {
-		err = PTR_ERR(reply);
-		ovs_dp_detach_port(vport);
-		goto exit_unlock;
-	}
+	err = ovs_vport_cmd_fill_info(vport, reply, info->snd_portid,
+				      info->snd_seq, 0, OVS_VPORT_CMD_NEW);
+	BUG_ON(err < 0);
+	ovs_unlock();
 
 	ovs_notify(&dp_vport_genl_family, reply, info);
+	return 0;
 
-exit_unlock:
+exit_unlock_free:
 	ovs_unlock();
-exit:
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1676,28 +1677,26 @@ static int ovs_vport_cmd_set(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	struct vport *vport;
 	int err;
 
+	reply = ovs_vport_cmd_alloc_info();
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	ovs_lock();
 	vport = lookup_vport(sock_net(skb->sk), info->userhdr, a);
 	err = PTR_ERR(vport);
 	if (IS_ERR(vport))
-		goto exit_unlock;
+		goto exit_unlock_free;
 
 	if (a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_TYPE] &&
 	    nla_get_u32(a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_TYPE]) != vport->ops->type) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto exit_unlock;
-	}
-
-	reply = nlmsg_new(NLMSG_DEFAULT_SIZE, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!reply) {
-		err = -ENOMEM;
-		goto exit_unlock;
+		goto exit_unlock_free;
 	}
 
 	if (a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_OPTIONS]) {
 		err = ovs_vport_set_options(vport, a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_OPTIONS]);
 		if (err)
-			goto exit_free;
+			goto exit_unlock_free;
 	}
 
 	if (a[OVS_VPORT_ATTR_UPCALL_PID])
@@ -1711,10 +1710,9 @@ static int ovs_vport_cmd_set(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	ovs_notify(&dp_vport_genl_family, reply, info);
 	return 0;
 
-exit_free:
-	kfree_skb(reply);
-exit_unlock:
+exit_unlock_free:
 	ovs_unlock();
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1725,30 +1723,33 @@ static int ovs_vport_cmd_del(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	struct vport *vport;
 	int err;
 
+	reply = ovs_vport_cmd_alloc_info();
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	ovs_lock();
 	vport = lookup_vport(sock_net(skb->sk), info->userhdr, a);
 	err = PTR_ERR(vport);
 	if (IS_ERR(vport))
-		goto exit_unlock;
+		goto exit_unlock_free;
 
 	if (vport->port_no == OVSP_LOCAL) {
 		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto exit_unlock;
+		goto exit_unlock_free;
 	}
 
-	reply = ovs_vport_cmd_build_info(vport, info->snd_portid,
-					 info->snd_seq, OVS_VPORT_CMD_DEL);
-	err = PTR_ERR(reply);
-	if (IS_ERR(reply))
-		goto exit_unlock;
-
-	err = 0;
+	err = ovs_vport_cmd_fill_info(vport, reply, info->snd_portid,
+				      info->snd_seq, 0, OVS_VPORT_CMD_DEL);
+	BUG_ON(err < 0);
 	ovs_dp_detach_port(vport);
+	ovs_unlock();
 
 	ovs_notify(&dp_vport_genl_family, reply, info);
+	return 0;
 
-exit_unlock:
+exit_unlock_free:
 	ovs_unlock();
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1760,24 +1761,25 @@ static int ovs_vport_cmd_get(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	struct vport *vport;
 	int err;
 
+	reply = ovs_vport_cmd_alloc_info();
+	if (!reply)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	vport = lookup_vport(sock_net(skb->sk), ovs_header, a);
 	err = PTR_ERR(vport);
 	if (IS_ERR(vport))
-		goto exit_unlock;
-
-	reply = ovs_vport_cmd_build_info(vport, info->snd_portid,
-					 info->snd_seq, OVS_VPORT_CMD_NEW);
-	err = PTR_ERR(reply);
-	if (IS_ERR(reply))
-		goto exit_unlock;
-
+		goto exit_unlock_free;
+	err = ovs_vport_cmd_fill_info(vport, reply, info->snd_portid,
+				      info->snd_seq, 0, OVS_VPORT_CMD_NEW);
+	BUG_ON(err < 0);
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
 	return genlmsg_reply(reply, info);
 
-exit_unlock:
+exit_unlock_free:
 	rcu_read_unlock();
+	kfree_skb(reply);
 	return err;
 }