diff --git a/net/ipv6/route.c b/net/ipv6/route.c
index 85df25c36409..7db0c837196c 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/route.c
@@ -1063,7 +1063,8 @@ static struct net_device *ip6_rt_get_dev_rcu(const struct fib6_result *res)
 		 */
 		if (netif_is_l3_slave(dev) &&
 		    !rt6_need_strict(&res->f6i->fib6_dst.addr))
-			dev = l3mdev_master_dev_rcu(dev);
+			dev = l3mdev_master_dev_rcu(dev) ? :
+			      dev_net(dev)->loopback_dev;
 		else if (!netif_is_l3_master(dev))
 			dev = dev_net(dev)->loopback_dev;
 		/* last case is netif_is_l3_master(dev) is true in which