diff --git a/hard-interface.c b/hard-interface.c
index 5e2655d..c5c7f13 100644
--- a/hard-interface.c
+++ b/hard-interface.c
@@ -349,9 +349,16 @@ int batadv_hardif_enable_interface(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface,
 	hard_iface->soft_iface = soft_iface;
 	bat_priv = netdev_priv(hard_iface->soft_iface);
 
+	ret = netdev_set_master(hard_iface->net_dev, hard_iface->soft_iface);
+	if (ret) {
+		batadv_err(hard_iface->soft_iface,
+			   "Device %s failed to set master\n", iface_name);
+		goto err_dev;
+	}
+
 	ret = bat_priv->bat_algo_ops->bat_iface_enable(hard_iface);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		goto err_dev;
+		goto err_enable;
 
 	hard_iface->if_num = bat_priv->num_ifaces;
 	bat_priv->num_ifaces++;
@@ -361,7 +368,7 @@ int batadv_hardif_enable_interface(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface,
 		bat_priv->bat_algo_ops->bat_iface_disable(hard_iface);
 		bat_priv->num_ifaces--;
 		hard_iface->if_status = BATADV_IF_NOT_IN_USE;
-		goto err_dev;
+		goto err_enable;
 	}
 
 	hard_iface->batman_adv_ptype.type = ethertype;
@@ -400,6 +407,8 @@ int batadv_hardif_enable_interface(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface,
 out:
 	return 0;
 
+err_enable:
+	netdev_set_master(hard_iface->net_dev, NULL);
 err_dev:
 	dev_put(soft_iface);
 err:
@@ -450,6 +459,7 @@ void batadv_hardif_disable_interface(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface,
 		batadv_softif_destroy(hard_iface->soft_iface, NULL);
 
 	hard_iface->soft_iface = NULL;
+	netdev_set_master(hard_iface->net_dev, NULL);
 	batadv_hardif_free_ref(hard_iface);
 
 out:
diff --git a/soft-interface.c b/soft-interface.c
index 3cafe50..54eb2a9 100644
--- a/soft-interface.c
+++ b/soft-interface.c
@@ -486,12 +486,15 @@ static int batadv_add_slave(struct net_device *dev,
 			    struct net_device *slave_dev)
 {
 	struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface;
+	int ret;
 
 	hard_iface = batadv_hardif_get_by_netdev(slave_dev);
 	if (!hard_iface || hard_iface->soft_iface != NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	return batadv_hardif_enable_interface(hard_iface, dev->name);
+	ret = batadv_hardif_enable_interface(hard_iface, dev->name);
+	batadv_hardif_free_ref(hard_iface);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -509,6 +512,7 @@ static int batadv_del_slave(struct net_device *dev,
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	batadv_hardif_disable_interface(hard_iface, BATADV_IF_CLEANUP_KEEP);
+	batadv_hardif_free_ref(hard_iface);
 	return 0;
 }