diff --git a/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c b/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c
index 0acb0934c1be..e17992b937bc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ static void ovpn_setup(struct net_device *dev)
 	dev->type = ARPHRD_NONE;
 	dev->flags = IFF_POINTOPOINT | IFF_NOARP;
 	dev->priv_flags |= IFF_NO_QUEUE;
+	/* when routing packet to a LAN behind a client, we rely on the
+	 * route entry that originally brought the packet into ovpn, so
+	 * don't release it
+	 */
+	dev->priv_flags &= ~IFF_XMIT_DST_RELEASE;
 
 	dev->lltx = true;
 	dev->features |= feat;