diff --git a/net/can/af_can.c b/net/can/af_can.c
index 7c80315ff356bd9671db9eaa3e3f6ba053d0d974..76b75de16034a253de0c0cab031b1d24fa7e817d 100644
--- a/net/can/af_can.c
+++ b/net/can/af_can.c
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ static int can_create(struct net *net, struct socket *sock, int protocol,
 		/* release sk on errors */
 		sock_orphan(sk);
 		sock_put(sk);
+		sock->sk = NULL;
 	}
 
  errout: