diff --git a/include/net/genetlink.h b/include/net/genetlink.h
index c5b96b2b815..805de50df00 100644
--- a/include/net/genetlink.h
+++ b/include/net/genetlink.h
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ struct genl_family
 	char			name[GENL_NAMSIZ];
 	unsigned int		version;
 	unsigned int		maxattr;
-	struct module *		owner;
 	struct nlattr **	attrbuf;	/* private */
 	struct list_head	ops_list;	/* private */
 	struct list_head	family_list;	/* private */
diff --git a/net/netlink/genetlink.c b/net/netlink/genetlink.c
index 3b1378498d5..4ae1538c54a 100644
--- a/net/netlink/genetlink.c
+++ b/net/netlink/genetlink.c
@@ -222,11 +222,6 @@ int genl_register_family(struct genl_family *family)
 		goto errout_locked;
 	}
 
-	if (!try_module_get(family->owner)) {
-		err = -EBUSY;
-		goto errout_locked;
-	}
-
 	if (family->id == GENL_ID_GENERATE) {
 		u16 newid = genl_generate_id();
 
@@ -283,7 +278,6 @@ int genl_unregister_family(struct genl_family *family)
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&family->ops_list);
 		genl_unlock();
 
-		module_put(family->owner);
 		kfree(family->attrbuf);
 		genl_ctrl_event(CTRL_CMD_DELFAMILY, family);
 		return 0;
@@ -535,7 +529,6 @@ static struct genl_family genl_ctrl = {
 	.name = "nlctrl",
 	.version = 0x1,
 	.maxattr = CTRL_ATTR_MAX,
-	.owner = THIS_MODULE,
 };
 
 static int __init genl_init(void)
diff --git a/net/tipc/netlink.c b/net/tipc/netlink.c
index 6fe95acde4f..19b3f402253 100644
--- a/net/tipc/netlink.c
+++ b/net/tipc/netlink.c
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ static struct genl_family family = {
         .version	= TIPC_GENL_VERSION,
         .hdrsize	= TIPC_GENL_HDRLEN,
         .maxattr	= 0,
-	.owner		= THIS_MODULE,
 };
 
 static struct genl_ops ops = {