diff --git a/sys/netinet6/nd6.c b/sys/netinet6/nd6.c
index d90520eded14..a32539b8972b 100644
--- a/sys/netinet6/nd6.c
+++ b/sys/netinet6/nd6.c
@@ -764,22 +764,25 @@ regen_tmpaddr(struct in6_ifaddr *ia6)
 		 */
 		if (!IFA6_IS_DEPRECATED(it6))
 		    public_ifa6 = it6;
+
+		if (public_ifa6 != NULL)
+			ifa_ref(&public_ifa6->ia_ifa);
 	}
+	IF_ADDR_UNLOCK(ifp);
 
 	if (public_ifa6 != NULL) {
 		int e;
 
 		if ((e = in6_tmpifadd(public_ifa6, 0, 0)) != 0) {
-			IF_ADDR_UNLOCK(ifp);
+			ifa_free(&public_ifa6->ia_ifa);
 			log(LOG_NOTICE, "regen_tmpaddr: failed to create a new"
 			    " tmp addr,errno=%d\n", e);
 			return (-1);
 		}
-		IF_ADDR_UNLOCK(ifp);
+		ifa_free(&public_ifa6->ia_ifa);
 		return (0);
 	}
 
-	IF_ADDR_UNLOCK(ifp);
 	return (-1);
 }