diff --git a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
index afb42d142807..0fbd3ee26165 100644
--- a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
+++ b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
@@ -335,26 +335,6 @@ err_tlock:
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(l2tp_session_register);
 
-/* Lookup a tunnel by id
- */
-struct l2tp_tunnel *l2tp_tunnel_find(const struct net *net, u32 tunnel_id)
-{
-	struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel;
-	struct l2tp_net *pn = l2tp_pernet(net);
-
-	rcu_read_lock_bh();
-	list_for_each_entry_rcu(tunnel, &pn->l2tp_tunnel_list, list) {
-		if (tunnel->tunnel_id == tunnel_id) {
-			rcu_read_unlock_bh();
-			return tunnel;
-		}
-	}
-	rcu_read_unlock_bh();
-
-	return NULL;
-}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(l2tp_tunnel_find);
-
 struct l2tp_tunnel *l2tp_tunnel_find_nth(const struct net *net, int nth)
 {
 	struct l2tp_net *pn = l2tp_pernet(net);
@@ -1501,6 +1481,7 @@ static int l2tp_validate_socket(const struct sock *sk, const struct net *net,
 int l2tp_tunnel_register(struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel, struct net *net,
 			 struct l2tp_tunnel_cfg *cfg)
 {
+	struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel_walk;
 	struct l2tp_net *pn;
 	struct socket *sock;
 	struct sock *sk;
@@ -1529,7 +1510,16 @@ int l2tp_tunnel_register(struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel, struct net *net,
 	tunnel->l2tp_net = net;
 
 	pn = l2tp_pernet(net);
+
 	spin_lock_bh(&pn->l2tp_tunnel_list_lock);
+	list_for_each_entry(tunnel_walk, &pn->l2tp_tunnel_list, list) {
+		if (tunnel_walk->tunnel_id == tunnel->tunnel_id) {
+			spin_unlock_bh(&pn->l2tp_tunnel_list_lock);
+
+			ret = -EEXIST;
+			goto err_sock;
+		}
+	}
 	list_add_rcu(&tunnel->list, &pn->l2tp_tunnel_list);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&pn->l2tp_tunnel_list_lock);
 
@@ -1558,7 +1548,10 @@ int l2tp_tunnel_register(struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel, struct net *net,
 	return 0;
 
 err_sock:
-	sockfd_put(sock);
+	if (tunnel->fd < 0)
+		sock_release(sock);
+	else
+		sockfd_put(sock);
 err:
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.h b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.h
index 12f0fa82f162..ba33cbec71eb 100644
--- a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.h
+++ b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.h
@@ -220,7 +220,6 @@ struct l2tp_session *l2tp_session_get(const struct net *net,
 struct l2tp_session *l2tp_session_get_nth(struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel, int nth);
 struct l2tp_session *l2tp_session_get_by_ifname(const struct net *net,
 						const char *ifname);
-struct l2tp_tunnel *l2tp_tunnel_find(const struct net *net, u32 tunnel_id);
 struct l2tp_tunnel *l2tp_tunnel_find_nth(const struct net *net, int nth);
 
 int l2tp_tunnel_create(struct net *net, int fd, int version, u32 tunnel_id,
diff --git a/net/l2tp/l2tp_netlink.c b/net/l2tp/l2tp_netlink.c
index 45db9b73eb1a..b05dbd9ffcb2 100644
--- a/net/l2tp/l2tp_netlink.c
+++ b/net/l2tp/l2tp_netlink.c
@@ -236,12 +236,6 @@ static int l2tp_nl_cmd_tunnel_create(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info
 	if (info->attrs[L2TP_ATTR_DEBUG])
 		cfg.debug = nla_get_u32(info->attrs[L2TP_ATTR_DEBUG]);
 
-	tunnel = l2tp_tunnel_find(net, tunnel_id);
-	if (tunnel != NULL) {
-		ret = -EEXIST;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
 	ret = -EINVAL;
 	switch (cfg.encap) {
 	case L2TP_ENCAPTYPE_UDP: