diff --git a/drivers/net/net_failover.c b/drivers/net/net_failover.c
index d0361aaf25ef..3f7d31033bae 100644
--- a/drivers/net/net_failover.c
+++ b/drivers/net/net_failover.c
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ static int net_failover_slave_register(struct net_device *slave_dev,
 
 	/* Align MTU of slave with failover dev */
 	orig_mtu = slave_dev->mtu;
-	err = dev_set_mtu(slave_dev, failover_dev->mtu);
+	err = netif_set_mtu(slave_dev, failover_dev->mtu);
 	if (err) {
 		netdev_err(failover_dev, "unable to change mtu of %s to %u register failed\n",
 			   slave_dev->name, failover_dev->mtu);
@@ -512,11 +512,11 @@ static int net_failover_slave_register(struct net_device *slave_dev,
 	dev_hold(slave_dev);
 
 	if (netif_running(failover_dev)) {
-		err = dev_open(slave_dev, NULL);
+		err = netif_open(slave_dev, NULL);
 		if (err && (err != -EBUSY)) {
 			netdev_err(failover_dev, "Opening slave %s failed err:%d\n",
 				   slave_dev->name, err);
-			goto err_dev_open;
+			goto err_netif_open;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -562,10 +562,10 @@ static int net_failover_slave_register(struct net_device *slave_dev,
 err_vlan_add:
 	dev_uc_unsync(slave_dev, failover_dev);
 	dev_mc_unsync(slave_dev, failover_dev);
-	dev_close(slave_dev);
-err_dev_open:
+	netif_close(slave_dev);
+err_netif_open:
 	dev_put(slave_dev);
-	dev_set_mtu(slave_dev, orig_mtu);
+	netif_set_mtu(slave_dev, orig_mtu);
 done:
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/net/core/failover.c b/net/core/failover.c
index 11bb183c7a1b..e43c59cd6868 100644
--- a/net/core/failover.c
+++ b/net/core/failover.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <uapi/linux/if_arp.h>
 #include <linux/rtnetlink.h>
 #include <linux/if_vlan.h>
+#include <net/netdev_lock.h>
 #include <net/failover.h>
 
 static LIST_HEAD(failover_list);
@@ -221,8 +222,11 @@ failover_existing_slave_register(struct net_device *failover_dev)
 	for_each_netdev(net, dev) {
 		if (netif_is_failover(dev))
 			continue;
-		if (ether_addr_equal(failover_dev->perm_addr, dev->perm_addr))
+		if (ether_addr_equal(failover_dev->perm_addr, dev->perm_addr)) {
+			netdev_lock_ops(dev);
 			failover_slave_register(dev);
+			netdev_unlock_ops(dev);
+		}
 	}
 	rtnl_unlock();
 }