diff --git a/net/devlink/rate.c b/net/devlink/rate.c
index 210e26c6cfa0..533d21b028a7 100644
--- a/net/devlink/rate.c
+++ b/net/devlink/rate.c
@@ -486,16 +486,19 @@ static int devlink_nl_rate_set(struct devlink_rate *devlink_rate,
 		devlink_rate->tx_weight = weight;
 	}
 
-	nla_parent = attrs[DEVLINK_ATTR_RATE_PARENT_NODE_NAME];
-	if (nla_parent) {
-		err = devlink_nl_rate_parent_node_set(devlink_rate, info,
-						      nla_parent);
+	if (attrs[DEVLINK_ATTR_RATE_TC_BWS]) {
+		err = devlink_nl_rate_tc_bw_set(devlink_rate, info);
 		if (err)
 			return err;
 	}
 
-	if (attrs[DEVLINK_ATTR_RATE_TC_BWS]) {
-		err = devlink_nl_rate_tc_bw_set(devlink_rate, info);
+	/* Keep parent setting last because it takes a reference. This function
+	 * has no rollback, so failing after taking the ref would leak it.
+	 */
+	nla_parent = attrs[DEVLINK_ATTR_RATE_PARENT_NODE_NAME];
+	if (nla_parent) {
+		err = devlink_nl_rate_parent_node_set(devlink_rate, info,
+						      nla_parent);
 		if (err)
 			return err;
 	}