diff --git a/fs/smb/client/connect.c b/fs/smb/client/connect.c
index c36c1b4ffe6e..7a67b86c0423 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/connect.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/connect.c
@@ -3130,22 +3130,13 @@ generic_ip_connect(struct TCP_Server_Info *server)
 	if (server->ssocket) {
 		socket = server->ssocket;
 	} else {
-		struct net *net = cifs_net_ns(server);
-		struct sock *sk;
-
-		rc = sock_create_kern(net, sfamily, SOCK_STREAM,
-				      IPPROTO_TCP, &server->ssocket);
+		rc = sock_create_net(cifs_net_ns(server), sfamily, SOCK_STREAM,
+				     IPPROTO_TCP, &server->ssocket);
 		if (rc < 0) {
 			cifs_server_dbg(VFS, "Error %d creating socket\n", rc);
 			return rc;
 		}
 
-		sk = server->ssocket->sk;
-		__netns_tracker_free(net, &sk->ns_tracker, false);
-		sk->sk_net_refcnt = 1;
-		get_net_track(net, &sk->ns_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
-		sock_inuse_add(net, 1);
-
 		/* BB other socket options to set KEEPALIVE, NODELAY? */
 		cifs_dbg(FYI, "Socket created\n");
 		socket = server->ssocket;
diff --git a/net/mptcp/subflow.c b/net/mptcp/subflow.c
index fd021cf8286e..e7e8972bdfca 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/subflow.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/subflow.c
@@ -1755,7 +1755,7 @@ int mptcp_subflow_create_socket(struct sock *sk, unsigned short family,
 	if (unlikely(!sk->sk_socket))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	err = sock_create_kern(net, family, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP, &sf);
+	err = sock_create_net(net, family, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP, &sf);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
@@ -1768,14 +1768,6 @@ int mptcp_subflow_create_socket(struct sock *sk, unsigned short family,
 	/* the newly created socket has to be in the same cgroup as its parent */
 	mptcp_attach_cgroup(sk, sf->sk);
 
-	/* kernel sockets do not by default acquire net ref, but TCP timer
-	 * needs it.
-	 * Update ns_tracker to current stack trace and refcounted tracker.
-	 */
-	__netns_tracker_free(net, &sf->sk->ns_tracker, false);
-	sf->sk->sk_net_refcnt = 1;
-	get_net_track(net, &sf->sk->ns_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
-	sock_inuse_add(net, 1);
 	err = tcp_set_ulp(sf->sk, "mptcp");
 	if (err)
 		goto err_free;
diff --git a/net/rds/tcp.c b/net/rds/tcp.c
index 351ac1747224..4509900476f7 100644
--- a/net/rds/tcp.c
+++ b/net/rds/tcp.c
@@ -494,21 +494,7 @@ bool rds_tcp_tune(struct socket *sock)
 
 	tcp_sock_set_nodelay(sock->sk);
 	lock_sock(sk);
-	/* TCP timer functions might access net namespace even after
-	 * a process which created this net namespace terminated.
-	 */
-	if (!sk->sk_net_refcnt) {
-		if (!maybe_get_net(net)) {
-			release_sock(sk);
-			return false;
-		}
-		/* Update ns_tracker to current stack trace and refcounted tracker */
-		__netns_tracker_free(net, &sk->ns_tracker, false);
 
-		sk->sk_net_refcnt = 1;
-		netns_tracker_alloc(net, &sk->ns_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
-		sock_inuse_add(net, 1);
-	}
 	rtn = net_generic(net, rds_tcp_netid);
 	if (rtn->sndbuf_size > 0) {
 		sk->sk_sndbuf = rtn->sndbuf_size;
diff --git a/net/rds/tcp_connect.c b/net/rds/tcp_connect.c
index a0046e99d6df..c9449780f952 100644
--- a/net/rds/tcp_connect.c
+++ b/net/rds/tcp_connect.c
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ int rds_tcp_conn_path_connect(struct rds_conn_path *cp)
 	struct sockaddr_in6 sin6;
 	struct sockaddr_in sin;
 	struct sockaddr *addr;
+	struct net *net;
 	int addrlen;
 	bool isv6;
 	int ret;
@@ -107,20 +108,28 @@ int rds_tcp_conn_path_connect(struct rds_conn_path *cp)
 
 	mutex_lock(&tc->t_conn_path_lock);
 
+	net = rds_conn_net(conn);
+
 	if (rds_conn_path_up(cp)) {
-		mutex_unlock(&tc->t_conn_path_lock);
-		return 0;
+		ret = 0;
+		goto out;
 	}
+
+	if (!maybe_get_net(net)) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (ipv6_addr_v4mapped(&conn->c_laddr)) {
-		ret = sock_create_kern(rds_conn_net(conn), PF_INET,
-				       SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP, &sock);
+		ret = sock_create_net(net, PF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP, &sock);
 		isv6 = false;
 	} else {
-		ret = sock_create_kern(rds_conn_net(conn), PF_INET6,
-				       SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP, &sock);
+		ret = sock_create_net(net, PF_INET6, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP, &sock);
 		isv6 = true;
 	}
 
+	put_net(net);
+
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto out;
 
diff --git a/net/rds/tcp_listen.c b/net/rds/tcp_listen.c
index 69aaf03ab93e..440ac9057148 100644
--- a/net/rds/tcp_listen.c
+++ b/net/rds/tcp_listen.c
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ int rds_tcp_accept_one(struct socket *sock)
 	struct rds_connection *conn;
 	int ret;
 	struct inet_sock *inet;
+	struct net *net;
 	struct rds_tcp_connection *rs_tcp = NULL;
 	int conn_state;
 	struct rds_conn_path *cp;
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ int rds_tcp_accept_one(struct socket *sock)
 	struct proto_accept_arg arg = {
 		.flags = O_NONBLOCK,
 		.kern = true,
-		.hold_net = false,
+		.hold_net = true,
 	};
 #if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_IPV6)
 	struct in6_addr saddr, daddr;
@@ -118,13 +119,22 @@ int rds_tcp_accept_one(struct socket *sock)
 	if (!sock) /* module unload or netns delete in progress */
 		return -ENETUNREACH;
 
+	net = sock_net(sock->sk);
+
+	if (!maybe_get_net(net))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	ret = sock_create_lite(sock->sk->sk_family,
 			       sock->sk->sk_type, sock->sk->sk_protocol,
 			       &new_sock);
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		put_net(net);
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	ret = sock->ops->accept(sock, new_sock, &arg);
+	put_net(net);
+
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto out;
 
diff --git a/net/smc/af_smc.c b/net/smc/af_smc.c
index 6e93f188a908..7b0de80b3aca 100644
--- a/net/smc/af_smc.c
+++ b/net/smc/af_smc.c
@@ -3310,25 +3310,8 @@ static const struct proto_ops smc_sock_ops = {
 
 int smc_create_clcsk(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, int family)
 {
-	struct smc_sock *smc = smc_sk(sk);
-	int rc;
-
-	rc = sock_create_kern(net, family, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP,
-			      &smc->clcsock);
-	if (rc)
-		return rc;
-
-	/* smc_clcsock_release() does not wait smc->clcsock->sk's
-	 * destruction;  its sk_state might not be TCP_CLOSE after
-	 * smc->sk is close()d, and TCP timers can be fired later,
-	 * which need net ref.
-	 */
-	sk = smc->clcsock->sk;
-	__netns_tracker_free(net, &sk->ns_tracker, false);
-	sk->sk_net_refcnt = 1;
-	get_net_track(net, &sk->ns_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
-	sock_inuse_add(net, 1);
-	return 0;
+	return sock_create_net(net, family, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP,
+			       &smc_sk(sk)->clcsock);
 }
 
 static int __smc_create(struct net *net, struct socket *sock, int protocol,
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/svcsock.c b/net/sunrpc/svcsock.c
index 9583bad3d150..cde5765f6f81 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/svcsock.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/svcsock.c
@@ -1526,7 +1526,10 @@ static struct svc_xprt *svc_create_socket(struct svc_serv *serv,
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	}
 
-	error = sock_create_kern(net, family, type, protocol, &sock);
+	if (protocol == IPPROTO_TCP)
+		error = sock_create_net(net, family, type, protocol, &sock);
+	else
+		error = sock_create_kern(net, family, type, protocol, &sock);
 	if (error < 0)
 		return ERR_PTR(error);
 
@@ -1551,11 +1554,8 @@ static struct svc_xprt *svc_create_socket(struct svc_serv *serv,
 	newlen = error;
 
 	if (protocol == IPPROTO_TCP) {
-		__netns_tracker_free(net, &sock->sk->ns_tracker, false);
-		sock->sk->sk_net_refcnt = 1;
-		get_net_track(net, &sock->sk->ns_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
-		sock_inuse_add(net, 1);
-		if ((error = kernel_listen(sock, 64)) < 0)
+		error = kernel_listen(sock, 64);
+		if (error < 0)
 			goto bummer;
 	}
 
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c b/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c
index feb1768e8a57..f3e139c30442 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c
@@ -1924,7 +1924,10 @@ static struct socket *xs_create_sock(struct rpc_xprt *xprt,
 	struct socket *sock;
 	int err;
 
-	err = sock_create_kern(xprt->xprt_net, family, type, protocol, &sock);
+	if (protocol == IPPROTO_TCP)
+		err = sock_create_net(xprt->xprt_net, family, type, protocol, &sock);
+	else
+		err = sock_create_kern(xprt->xprt_net, family, type, protocol, &sock);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		dprintk("RPC:       can't create %d transport socket (%d).\n",
 				protocol, -err);
@@ -1941,13 +1944,6 @@ static struct socket *xs_create_sock(struct rpc_xprt *xprt,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	if (protocol == IPPROTO_TCP) {
-		__netns_tracker_free(xprt->xprt_net, &sock->sk->ns_tracker, false);
-		sock->sk->sk_net_refcnt = 1;
-		get_net_track(xprt->xprt_net, &sock->sk->ns_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
-		sock_inuse_add(xprt->xprt_net, 1);
-	}
-
 	filp = sock_alloc_file(sock, O_NONBLOCK, NULL);
 	if (IS_ERR(filp))
 		return ERR_CAST(filp);
