diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c
index d4c27f849f9b..c2a9e64bc57b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c
@@ -227,6 +227,45 @@ done:
 	spin_unlock_bh(&nn->reconfig_lock);
 }
 
+static void nfp_net_reconfig_sync_enter(struct nfp_net *nn)
+{
+	bool cancelled_timer = false;
+	u32 pre_posted_requests;
+
+	spin_lock_bh(&nn->reconfig_lock);
+
+	nn->reconfig_sync_present = true;
+
+	if (nn->reconfig_timer_active) {
+		nn->reconfig_timer_active = false;
+		cancelled_timer = true;
+	}
+	pre_posted_requests = nn->reconfig_posted;
+	nn->reconfig_posted = 0;
+
+	spin_unlock_bh(&nn->reconfig_lock);
+
+	if (cancelled_timer) {
+		del_timer_sync(&nn->reconfig_timer);
+		nfp_net_reconfig_wait(nn, nn->reconfig_timer.expires);
+	}
+
+	/* Run the posted reconfigs which were issued before we started */
+	if (pre_posted_requests) {
+		nfp_net_reconfig_start(nn, pre_posted_requests);
+		nfp_net_reconfig_wait(nn, jiffies + HZ * NFP_NET_POLL_TIMEOUT);
+	}
+}
+
+static void nfp_net_reconfig_wait_posted(struct nfp_net *nn)
+{
+	nfp_net_reconfig_sync_enter(nn);
+
+	spin_lock_bh(&nn->reconfig_lock);
+	nn->reconfig_sync_present = false;
+	spin_unlock_bh(&nn->reconfig_lock);
+}
+
 /**
  * nfp_net_reconfig() - Reconfigure the firmware
  * @nn:      NFP Net device to reconfigure
@@ -240,32 +279,9 @@ done:
  */
 int nfp_net_reconfig(struct nfp_net *nn, u32 update)
 {
-	bool cancelled_timer = false;
-	u32 pre_posted_requests;
 	int ret;
 
-	spin_lock_bh(&nn->reconfig_lock);
-
-	nn->reconfig_sync_present = true;
-
-	if (nn->reconfig_timer_active) {
-		del_timer(&nn->reconfig_timer);
-		nn->reconfig_timer_active = false;
-		cancelled_timer = true;
-	}
-	pre_posted_requests = nn->reconfig_posted;
-	nn->reconfig_posted = 0;
-
-	spin_unlock_bh(&nn->reconfig_lock);
-
-	if (cancelled_timer)
-		nfp_net_reconfig_wait(nn, nn->reconfig_timer.expires);
-
-	/* Run the posted reconfigs which were issued before we started */
-	if (pre_posted_requests) {
-		nfp_net_reconfig_start(nn, pre_posted_requests);
-		nfp_net_reconfig_wait(nn, jiffies + HZ * NFP_NET_POLL_TIMEOUT);
-	}
+	nfp_net_reconfig_sync_enter(nn);
 
 	nfp_net_reconfig_start(nn, update);
 	ret = nfp_net_reconfig_wait(nn, jiffies + HZ * NFP_NET_POLL_TIMEOUT);
@@ -3609,6 +3625,7 @@ struct nfp_net *nfp_net_alloc(struct pci_dev *pdev, bool needs_netdev,
  */
 void nfp_net_free(struct nfp_net *nn)
 {
+	WARN_ON(timer_pending(&nn->reconfig_timer) || nn->reconfig_posted);
 	if (nn->dp.netdev)
 		free_netdev(nn->dp.netdev);
 	else
@@ -3893,4 +3910,5 @@ void nfp_net_clean(struct nfp_net *nn)
 		return;
 
 	unregister_netdev(nn->dp.netdev);
+	nfp_net_reconfig_wait_posted(nn);
 }