diff --git a/drivers/net/can/dev.c b/drivers/net/can/dev.c
index 963e2cc..8233e5e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/dev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/dev.c
@@ -609,8 +609,7 @@
 {
 	struct can_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
 
-	if (del_timer_sync(&priv->restart_timer))
-		dev_put(dev);
+	del_timer_sync(&priv->restart_timer);
 	can_flush_echo_skb(dev);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(close_candev);
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.c b/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.c
index 2b104d5..e6b4095 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.c
@@ -517,12 +517,8 @@
 
 static int mscan_do_set_mode(struct net_device *dev, enum can_mode mode)
 {
-	struct mscan_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (!priv->open_time)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	switch (mode) {
 	case CAN_MODE_START:
 		ret = mscan_restart(dev);
@@ -590,8 +586,6 @@
 		goto exit_napi_disable;
 	}
 
-	priv->open_time = jiffies;
-
 	if (priv->can.ctrlmode & CAN_CTRLMODE_LISTENONLY)
 		setbits8(&regs->canctl1, MSCAN_LISTEN);
 	else
@@ -606,7 +600,6 @@
 	return 0;
 
 exit_free_irq:
-	priv->open_time = 0;
 	free_irq(dev->irq, dev);
 exit_napi_disable:
 	napi_disable(&priv->napi);
@@ -627,7 +620,6 @@
 	mscan_set_mode(dev, MSCAN_INIT_MODE);
 	close_candev(dev);
 	free_irq(dev->irq, dev);
-	priv->open_time = 0;
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.h b/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.h
index b43e9f5..af2ed8b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.h
+++ b/drivers/net/can/mscan/mscan.h
@@ -281,7 +281,6 @@
 struct mscan_priv {
 	struct can_priv can;	/* must be the first member */
 	unsigned int type; 	/* MSCAN type variants */
-	long open_time;
 	unsigned long flags;
 	void __iomem *reg_base;	/* ioremap'ed address to registers */
 	u8 shadow_statflg;
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.c b/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.c
index 25011db..83ee11e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.c
@@ -188,11 +188,6 @@
 
 static int sja1000_set_mode(struct net_device *dev, enum can_mode mode)
 {
-	struct sja1000_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
-
-	if (!priv->open_time)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	switch (mode) {
 	case CAN_MODE_START:
 		sja1000_start(dev);
@@ -579,7 +574,6 @@
 
 	/* init and start chi */
 	sja1000_start(dev);
-	priv->open_time = jiffies;
 
 	netif_start_queue(dev);
 
@@ -598,8 +592,6 @@
 
 	close_candev(dev);
 
-	priv->open_time = 0;
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.h b/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.h
index 23fff06..afa9984 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.h
+++ b/drivers/net/can/sja1000/sja1000.h
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@
  */
 struct sja1000_priv {
 	struct can_priv can;	/* must be the first member */
-	int open_time;
 	struct sk_buff *echo_skb;
 
 	/* the lower-layer is responsible for appropriate locking */
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/usb/ems_usb.c b/drivers/net/can/usb/ems_usb.c
index 086fa32..c69f0b7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/usb/ems_usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/usb/ems_usb.c
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@
 
 struct ems_usb {
 	struct can_priv can; /* must be the first member */
-	int open_time;
 
 	struct sk_buff *echo_skb[MAX_TX_URBS];
 
@@ -728,7 +727,6 @@
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	dev->open_time = jiffies;
 
 	netif_start_queue(netdev);
 
@@ -878,8 +876,6 @@
 
 	close_candev(netdev);
 
-	dev->open_time = 0;
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -905,9 +901,6 @@
 {
 	struct ems_usb *dev = netdev_priv(netdev);
 
-	if (!dev->open_time)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	switch (mode) {
 	case CAN_MODE_START:
 		if (ems_usb_write_mode(dev, SJA1000_MOD_NORMAL))
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/usb/esd_usb2.c b/drivers/net/can/usb/esd_usb2.c
index 124e0dd..9b74d1e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/usb/esd_usb2.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/usb/esd_usb2.c
@@ -217,7 +217,6 @@
 	struct usb_anchor tx_submitted;
 	struct esd_tx_urb_context tx_contexts[MAX_TX_URBS];
 
-	int open_time;
 	struct esd_usb2 *usb2;
 	struct net_device *netdev;
 	int index;
@@ -695,8 +694,6 @@
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	priv->open_time = jiffies;
-
 	netif_start_queue(netdev);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -864,8 +861,6 @@
 
 	close_candev(netdev);
 
-	priv->open_time = 0;
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -941,11 +936,6 @@
 
 static int esd_usb2_set_mode(struct net_device *netdev, enum can_mode mode)
 {
-	struct esd_usb2_net_priv *priv = netdev_priv(netdev);
-
-	if (!priv->open_time)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	switch (mode) {
 	case CAN_MODE_START:
 		netif_wake_queue(netdev);
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.c b/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.c
index c4643c4..d9290ea 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.c
@@ -520,7 +520,6 @@
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	dev->open_time = jiffies;
 	netif_start_queue(netdev);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -576,7 +575,6 @@
 
 	close_candev(netdev);
 
-	dev->open_time = 0;
 	dev->can.state = CAN_STATE_STOPPED;
 
 	/* can set bus off now */
@@ -661,9 +659,6 @@
 	struct peak_usb_device *dev = netdev_priv(netdev);
 	int err = 0;
 
-	if (!dev->open_time)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	switch (mode) {
 	case CAN_MODE_START:
 		err = peak_usb_restart(dev);
diff --git a/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.h b/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.h
index c8e5e91..073b47f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.h
+++ b/drivers/net/can/usb/peak_usb/pcan_usb_core.h
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@
 	struct can_priv can;
 	struct peak_usb_adapter *adapter;
 	unsigned int ctrl_idx;
-	int open_time;
 	u32 state;
 
 	struct sk_buff *echo_skb[PCAN_USB_MAX_TX_URBS];