diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
index b6fe42547cc3..8a7edeb8f12c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
@@ -5167,10 +5167,8 @@ static void iavf_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&adapter->watchdog_task);
 	cancel_work_sync(&adapter->finish_config);
 
-	rtnl_lock();
 	if (netdev->reg_state == NETREG_REGISTERED)
-		unregister_netdevice(netdev);
-	rtnl_unlock();
+		unregister_netdev(netdev);
 
 	if (CLIENT_ALLOWED(adapter)) {
 		err = iavf_lan_del_device(adapter);