diff --git a/include/linux/rtnetlink.h b/include/linux/rtnetlink.h
index b9e174079002..44c81c744538 100644
--- a/include/linux/rtnetlink.h
+++ b/include/linux/rtnetlink.h
@@ -740,13 +740,13 @@ extern void rtmsg_ifinfo(int type, struct net_device *dev, unsigned change);
 extern void rtnl_lock(void);
 extern void rtnl_unlock(void);
 extern int rtnl_trylock(void);
+extern int rtnl_is_locked(void);
 
 extern void rtnetlink_init(void);
 extern void __rtnl_unlock(void);
 
 #define ASSERT_RTNL() do { \
-	if (unlikely(rtnl_trylock())) { \
-		rtnl_unlock(); \
+	if (unlikely(!rtnl_is_locked())) { \
 		printk(KERN_ERR "RTNL: assertion failed at %s (%d)\n", \
 		       __FILE__,  __LINE__); \
 		dump_stack(); \
diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index bc39e417694a..cf857c4dc7b1 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ int rtnl_trylock(void)
 	return mutex_trylock(&rtnl_mutex);
 }
 
+int rtnl_is_locked(void)
+{
+	return mutex_is_locked(&rtnl_mutex);
+}
+
 static struct rtnl_link *rtnl_msg_handlers[NPROTO];
 
 static inline int rtm_msgindex(int msgtype)
@@ -1402,6 +1407,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnetlink_put_metrics);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnl_lock);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnl_trylock);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnl_unlock);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnl_is_locked);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnl_unicast);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnl_notify);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtnl_set_sk_err);