diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index ae5e260911e2..cac56fb59af8 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -3698,6 +3698,8 @@ int dev_set_alias(struct net_device *, const char *, size_t);
 int dev_get_alias(const struct net_device *, char *, size_t);
 int dev_change_net_namespace(struct net_device *, struct net *, const char *);
 int __dev_set_mtu(struct net_device *, int);
+int dev_validate_mtu(struct net_device *dev, int mtu,
+		     struct netlink_ext_ack *extack);
 int dev_set_mtu_ext(struct net_device *dev, int mtu,
 		    struct netlink_ext_ack *extack);
 int dev_set_mtu(struct net_device *, int);
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index cca03914108a..81befd0c2510 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -8196,6 +8196,22 @@ int __dev_set_mtu(struct net_device *dev, int new_mtu)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(__dev_set_mtu);
 
+int dev_validate_mtu(struct net_device *dev, int new_mtu,
+		     struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
+{
+	/* MTU must be positive, and in range */
+	if (new_mtu < 0 || new_mtu < dev->min_mtu) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "mtu less than device minimum");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	if (dev->max_mtu > 0 && new_mtu > dev->max_mtu) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "mtu greater than device maximum");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  *	dev_set_mtu_ext - Change maximum transfer unit
  *	@dev: device
@@ -8212,16 +8228,9 @@ int dev_set_mtu_ext(struct net_device *dev, int new_mtu,
 	if (new_mtu == dev->mtu)
 		return 0;
 
-	/* MTU must be positive, and in range */
-	if (new_mtu < 0 || new_mtu < dev->min_mtu) {
-		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "mtu less than device minimum");
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
-	if (dev->max_mtu > 0 && new_mtu > dev->max_mtu) {
-		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(extack, "mtu greater than device maximum");
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
+	err = dev_validate_mtu(dev, new_mtu, extack);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
 
 	if (!netif_device_present(dev))
 		return -ENODEV;
diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index 02916f43bf63..d9001b5c48eb 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -3048,8 +3048,17 @@ struct net_device *rtnl_create_link(struct net *net, const char *ifname,
 	dev->rtnl_link_ops = ops;
 	dev->rtnl_link_state = RTNL_LINK_INITIALIZING;
 
-	if (tb[IFLA_MTU])
-		dev->mtu = nla_get_u32(tb[IFLA_MTU]);
+	if (tb[IFLA_MTU]) {
+		u32 mtu = nla_get_u32(tb[IFLA_MTU]);
+		int err;
+
+		err = dev_validate_mtu(dev, mtu, extack);
+		if (err) {
+			free_netdev(dev);
+			return ERR_PTR(err);
+		}
+		dev->mtu = mtu;
+	}
 	if (tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]) {
 		memcpy(dev->dev_addr, nla_data(tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]),
 				nla_len(tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]));