diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c b/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
index a95c73d..81c76ad 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
@@ -1293,6 +1293,9 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	/* netdev_printk() needs this so do it as early as possible */
+	SET_NETDEV_DEV(net, &udev->dev);
+
 	dev = netdev_priv(net);
 	dev->udev = xdev;
 	dev->intf = udev;
@@ -1377,8 +1380,6 @@
 		dev->rx_urb_size = dev->hard_mtu;
 	dev->maxpacket = usb_maxpacket (dev->udev, dev->out, 1);
 
-	SET_NETDEV_DEV(net, &udev->dev);
-
 	if ((dev->driver_info->flags & FLAG_WLAN) != 0)
 		SET_NETDEV_DEVTYPE(net, &wlan_type);
 	if ((dev->driver_info->flags & FLAG_WWAN) != 0)