diff --git a/net/wireless/core.c b/net/wireless/core.c
index dcce326fdb8c..ad812d4be773 100644
--- a/net/wireless/core.c
+++ b/net/wireless/core.c
@@ -1236,6 +1236,21 @@ void wiphy_rfkill_set_hw_state_reason(struct wiphy *wiphy, bool blocked,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(wiphy_rfkill_set_hw_state_reason);
 
+struct netdev_unregister_work {
+	struct work_struct work;
+	struct net_device *netdev;
+};
+
+static void cfg80211_unregister_netdevice_work(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct netdev_unregister_work *w = container_of(work, struct netdev_unregister_work, work);
+
+	rtnl_lock();
+	unregister_netdevice(w->netdev);
+	rtnl_unlock();
+	kfree(w);
+}
+
 static void _cfg80211_unregister_wdev(struct wireless_dev *wdev,
 				      bool unregister_netdev)
 {
@@ -1252,8 +1267,14 @@ static void _cfg80211_unregister_wdev(struct wireless_dev *wdev,
 
 	if (wdev->netdev) {
 		sysfs_remove_link(&wdev->netdev->dev.kobj, "phy80211");
-		if (unregister_netdev)
-			unregister_netdevice(wdev->netdev);
+		if (unregister_netdev) {
+			struct netdev_unregister_work *w
+				= kmalloc(sizeof(*w), GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_NOFAIL);
+
+			INIT_WORK(&w->work, cfg80211_unregister_netdevice_work);
+			w->netdev = wdev->netdev;
+			schedule_work(&w->work);
+		}
 	}
 
 	list_del_rcu(&wdev->list);