diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h
index a5bc804dc67a..43fe91213aa5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h
@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ enum ice_pf_flags {
 	ICE_FLAG_MDD_AUTO_RESET_VF,
 	ICE_FLAG_LINK_LENIENT_MODE_ENA,
 	ICE_FLAG_PLUG_AUX_DEV,
+	ICE_FLAG_UNPLUG_AUX_DEV,
 	ICE_FLAG_MTU_CHANGED,
 	ICE_PF_FLAGS_NBITS		/* must be last */
 };
@@ -706,16 +707,11 @@ static inline void ice_set_rdma_cap(struct ice_pf *pf)
  */
 static inline void ice_clear_rdma_cap(struct ice_pf *pf)
 {
-	/* We can directly unplug aux device here only if the flag bit
-	 * ICE_FLAG_PLUG_AUX_DEV is not set because ice_unplug_aux_dev()
-	 * could race with ice_plug_aux_dev() called from
-	 * ice_service_task(). In this case we only clear that bit now and
-	 * aux device will be unplugged later once ice_plug_aux_device()
-	 * called from ice_service_task() finishes (see ice_service_task()).
+	/* defer unplug to service task to avoid RTNL lock and
+	 * clear PLUG bit so that pending plugs don't interfere
 	 */
-	if (!test_and_clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_PLUG_AUX_DEV, pf->flags))
-		ice_unplug_aux_dev(pf);
-
+	clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_PLUG_AUX_DEV, pf->flags);
+	set_bit(ICE_FLAG_UNPLUG_AUX_DEV, pf->flags);
 	clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_RDMA_ENA, pf->flags);
 	clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_AUX_ENA, pf->flags);
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_main.c
index 13afbffc4758..bf9fe385274e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_main.c
@@ -2156,18 +2156,15 @@ static void ice_service_task(struct work_struct *work)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (test_bit(ICE_FLAG_PLUG_AUX_DEV, pf->flags)) {
-		/* Plug aux device per request */
-		ice_plug_aux_dev(pf);
+	/* unplug aux dev per request, if an unplug request came in
+	 * while processing a plug request, this will handle it
+	 */
+	if (test_and_clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_UNPLUG_AUX_DEV, pf->flags))
+		ice_unplug_aux_dev(pf);
 
-		/* Mark plugging as done but check whether unplug was
-		 * requested during ice_plug_aux_dev() call
-		 * (e.g. from ice_clear_rdma_cap()) and if so then
-		 * plug aux device.
-		 */
-		if (!test_and_clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_PLUG_AUX_DEV, pf->flags))
-			ice_unplug_aux_dev(pf);
-	}
+	/* Plug aux device per request */
+	if (test_and_clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_PLUG_AUX_DEV, pf->flags))
+		ice_plug_aux_dev(pf);
 
 	if (test_and_clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_MTU_CHANGED, pf->flags)) {
 		struct iidc_event *event;