diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c
index d1d6fb6669e5..2749ce009ebc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ err_out_port_reset:
 err_out_reset:
 	ionic_reset(ionic);
 err_out_teardown:
-	ionic_dev_teardown(ionic);
+	del_timer_sync(&ionic->watchdog_timer);
 	pci_clear_master(pdev);
 	/* Don't fail the probe for these errors, keep
 	 * the hw interface around for inspection
@@ -378,6 +378,8 @@ static void ionic_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	if (!ionic)
 		return;
 
+	del_timer_sync(&ionic->watchdog_timer);
+
 	if (ionic->lif) {
 		ionic_devlink_unregister(ionic);
 		ionic_lif_unregister(ionic->lif);
@@ -389,7 +391,6 @@ static void ionic_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 
 	ionic_port_reset(ionic);
 	ionic_reset(ionic);
-	ionic_dev_teardown(ionic);
 	pci_clear_master(pdev);
 	ionic_unmap_bars(ionic);
 	pci_release_regions(pdev);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.c
index a02f710200da..16b6b65e8319 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.c
@@ -98,11 +98,6 @@ int ionic_dev_setup(struct ionic *ionic)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void ionic_dev_teardown(struct ionic *ionic)
-{
-	del_timer_sync(&ionic->watchdog_timer);
-}
-
 /* Devcmd Interface */
 int ionic_heartbeat_check(struct ionic *ionic)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.h
index 8842dc4a716f..c109cd5a0471 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_dev.h
@@ -283,7 +283,6 @@ static inline bool ionic_q_has_space(struct ionic_queue *q, unsigned int want)
 
 void ionic_init_devinfo(struct ionic *ionic);
 int ionic_dev_setup(struct ionic *ionic);
-void ionic_dev_teardown(struct ionic *ionic);
 
 void ionic_dev_cmd_go(struct ionic_dev *idev, union ionic_dev_cmd *cmd);
 u8 ionic_dev_cmd_status(struct ionic_dev *idev);