diff --git a/drivers/connector/connector.c b/drivers/connector/connector.c
index 37976dcf044..fea2d3ed9cb 100644
--- a/drivers/connector/connector.c
+++ b/drivers/connector/connector.c
@@ -420,8 +420,7 @@ static int __devinit cn_init(void)
 
 	dev->cbdev = cn_queue_alloc_dev("cqueue", dev->nls);
 	if (!dev->cbdev) {
-		if (dev->nls->sk_socket)
-			sock_release(dev->nls->sk_socket);
+		netlink_kernel_release(dev->nls);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	
@@ -431,8 +430,7 @@ static int __devinit cn_init(void)
 	if (err) {
 		cn_already_initialized = 0;
 		cn_queue_free_dev(dev->cbdev);
-		if (dev->nls->sk_socket)
-			sock_release(dev->nls->sk_socket);
+		netlink_kernel_release(dev->nls);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
@@ -447,8 +445,7 @@ static void __devexit cn_fini(void)
 
 	cn_del_callback(&dev->id);
 	cn_queue_free_dev(dev->cbdev);
-	if (dev->nls->sk_socket)
-		sock_release(dev->nls->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(dev->nls);
 }
 
 subsys_initcall(cn_init);
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/scsi_netlink.c b/drivers/scsi/scsi_netlink.c
index 3e159182817..370c78cc1cb 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/scsi_netlink.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/scsi_netlink.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ void
 scsi_netlink_exit(void)
 {
 	if (scsi_nl_sock) {
-		sock_release(scsi_nl_sock->sk_socket);
+		netlink_kernel_release(scsi_nl_sock);
 		netlink_unregister_notifier(&scsi_netlink_notifier);
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/scsi_transport_iscsi.c b/drivers/scsi/scsi_transport_iscsi.c
index ef0e7426488..0d7b4e79415 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/scsi_transport_iscsi.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/scsi_transport_iscsi.c
@@ -1558,7 +1558,7 @@ static __init int iscsi_transport_init(void)
 	return 0;
 
 release_nls:
-	sock_release(nls->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(nls);
 unregister_session_class:
 	transport_class_unregister(&iscsi_session_class);
 unregister_conn_class:
@@ -1573,7 +1573,7 @@ unregister_transport_class:
 static void __exit iscsi_transport_exit(void)
 {
 	destroy_workqueue(iscsi_eh_timer_workq);
-	sock_release(nls->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(nls);
 	transport_class_unregister(&iscsi_connection_class);
 	transport_class_unregister(&iscsi_session_class);
 	transport_class_unregister(&iscsi_host_class);
diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/netlink.c b/fs/ecryptfs/netlink.c
index 9aa345121e0..f638a698dc5 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/netlink.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/netlink.c
@@ -237,7 +237,6 @@ out:
  */
 void ecryptfs_release_netlink(void)
 {
-	if (ecryptfs_nl_sock && ecryptfs_nl_sock->sk_socket)
-		sock_release(ecryptfs_nl_sock->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(ecryptfs_nl_sock);
 	ecryptfs_nl_sock = NULL;
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/netlink.h b/include/linux/netlink.h
index 2aee0f51087..bd13b6f4a98 100644
--- a/include/linux/netlink.h
+++ b/include/linux/netlink.h
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ extern struct sock *netlink_kernel_create(struct net *net,
 					  void (*input)(struct sk_buff *skb),
 					  struct mutex *cb_mutex,
 					  struct module *module);
+extern void netlink_kernel_release(struct sock *sk);
 extern int netlink_change_ngroups(struct sock *sk, unsigned int groups);
 extern void netlink_clear_multicast_users(struct sock *sk, unsigned int group);
 extern void netlink_ack(struct sk_buff *in_skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh, int err);
diff --git a/net/bridge/netfilter/ebt_ulog.c b/net/bridge/netfilter/ebt_ulog.c
index b73ba28bcbe..8e7b00b68d3 100644
--- a/net/bridge/netfilter/ebt_ulog.c
+++ b/net/bridge/netfilter/ebt_ulog.c
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ static int __init ebt_ulog_init(void)
 	if (!ebtulognl)
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 	else if ((ret = ebt_register_watcher(&ulog)))
-		sock_release(ebtulognl->sk_socket);
+		netlink_kernel_release(ebtulognl);
 
 	if (ret == 0)
 		nf_log_register(PF_BRIDGE, &ebt_ulog_logger);
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ static void __exit ebt_ulog_fini(void)
 		}
 		spin_unlock_bh(&ub->lock);
 	}
-	sock_release(ebtulognl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(ebtulognl);
 }
 
 module_init(ebt_ulog_init);
diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index a5f4f661fa6..02cf848f71d 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -1384,7 +1384,7 @@ static void rtnetlink_net_exit(struct net *net)
 		 * free.
 		 */
 		sk->sk_net = get_net(&init_net);
-		sock_release(net->rtnl->sk_socket);
+		netlink_kernel_release(net->rtnl);
 		net->rtnl = NULL;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/net/decnet/netfilter/dn_rtmsg.c b/net/decnet/netfilter/dn_rtmsg.c
index 96375f2e64f..6d2bd320204 100644
--- a/net/decnet/netfilter/dn_rtmsg.c
+++ b/net/decnet/netfilter/dn_rtmsg.c
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static int __init dn_rtmsg_init(void)
 
 	rv = nf_register_hook(&dnrmg_ops);
 	if (rv) {
-		sock_release(dnrmg->sk_socket);
+		netlink_kernel_release(dnrmg);
 	}
 
 	return rv;
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ static int __init dn_rtmsg_init(void)
 static void __exit dn_rtmsg_fini(void)
 {
 	nf_unregister_hook(&dnrmg_ops);
-	sock_release(dnrmg->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(dnrmg);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
index 4e5216e9aac..e787d215115 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ static void nl_fib_lookup_exit(struct net *net)
 	 * initial network namespace. So the socket will  be safe to free.
 	 */
 	net->ipv4.fibnl->sk_net = get_net(&init_net);
-	sock_release(net->ipv4.fibnl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(net->ipv4.fibnl);
 }
 
 static void fib_disable_ip(struct net_device *dev, int force)
diff --git a/net/ipv4/inet_diag.c b/net/ipv4/inet_diag.c
index e468e7a7aac..605ed2cd797 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/inet_diag.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/inet_diag.c
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ out_free_table:
 
 static void __exit inet_diag_exit(void)
 {
-	sock_release(idiagnl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(idiagnl);
 	kfree(inet_diag_table);
 }
 
diff --git a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_queue.c b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_queue.c
index 7361315f20c..5109839da22 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_queue.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_queue.c
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ cleanup_sysctl:
 	unregister_netdevice_notifier(&ipq_dev_notifier);
 	proc_net_remove(&init_net, IPQ_PROC_FS_NAME);
 cleanup_ipqnl:
-	sock_release(ipqnl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(ipqnl);
 	mutex_lock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 	mutex_unlock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ static void __exit ip_queue_fini(void)
 	unregister_netdevice_notifier(&ipq_dev_notifier);
 	proc_net_remove(&init_net, IPQ_PROC_FS_NAME);
 
-	sock_release(ipqnl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(ipqnl);
 	mutex_lock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 	mutex_unlock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 
diff --git a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ipt_ULOG.c b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ipt_ULOG.c
index fa24efaf3ea..b192756c6d0 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/netfilter/ipt_ULOG.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/netfilter/ipt_ULOG.c
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ static int __init ulog_tg_init(void)
 
 	ret = xt_register_target(&ulog_tg_reg);
 	if (ret < 0) {
-		sock_release(nflognl->sk_socket);
+		netlink_kernel_release(nflognl);
 		return ret;
 	}
 	if (nflog)
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ static void __exit ulog_tg_exit(void)
 	if (nflog)
 		nf_log_unregister(&ipt_ulog_logger);
 	xt_unregister_target(&ulog_tg_reg);
-	sock_release(nflognl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(nflognl);
 
 	/* remove pending timers and free allocated skb's */
 	for (i = 0; i < ULOG_MAXNLGROUPS; i++) {
diff --git a/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6_queue.c b/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6_queue.c
index a20db0bb5a1..56b4ea6d29e 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6_queue.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6_queue.c
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ cleanup_sysctl:
 	proc_net_remove(&init_net, IPQ_PROC_FS_NAME);
 
 cleanup_ipqnl:
-	sock_release(ipqnl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(ipqnl);
 	mutex_lock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 	mutex_unlock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ static void __exit ip6_queue_fini(void)
 	unregister_netdevice_notifier(&ipq_dev_notifier);
 	proc_net_remove(&init_net, IPQ_PROC_FS_NAME);
 
-	sock_release(ipqnl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(ipqnl);
 	mutex_lock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 	mutex_unlock(&ipqnl_mutex);
 
diff --git a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink.c b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink.c
index 2128542995f..b75c9c4a995 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nfnetlink.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nfnetlink.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ static void nfnetlink_rcv(struct sk_buff *skb)
 static void __exit nfnetlink_exit(void)
 {
 	printk("Removing netfilter NETLINK layer.\n");
-	sock_release(nfnl->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(nfnl);
 	return;
 }
 
diff --git a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
index 29fef558aab..626a5820629 100644
--- a/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
+++ b/net/netlink/af_netlink.c
@@ -1405,6 +1405,17 @@ out_sock_release:
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(netlink_kernel_create);
 
+
+void
+netlink_kernel_release(struct sock *sk)
+{
+	if (sk == NULL || sk->sk_socket == NULL)
+		return;
+	sock_release(sk->sk_socket);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(netlink_kernel_release);
+
+
 /**
  * netlink_change_ngroups - change number of multicast groups
  *
diff --git a/net/xfrm/xfrm_user.c b/net/xfrm/xfrm_user.c
index 35fc16ae50a..e0ccdf26781 100644
--- a/net/xfrm/xfrm_user.c
+++ b/net/xfrm/xfrm_user.c
@@ -2420,7 +2420,7 @@ static void __exit xfrm_user_exit(void)
 	xfrm_unregister_km(&netlink_mgr);
 	rcu_assign_pointer(xfrm_nl, NULL);
 	synchronize_rcu();
-	sock_release(nlsk->sk_socket);
+	netlink_kernel_release(nlsk);
 }
 
 module_init(xfrm_user_init);