VM_PKT_DATA_INBAND, 0);
 }
 
+/* Worker to setup sub channels on initial setup
+ * Initial hotplug event occurs in softirq context
+ * and can't wait for channels.
+ */
+static void netvsc_subchan_work(struct work_struct *w)
+{
+       struct netvsc_device *nvdev =
+               container_of(w, struct netvsc_device, subchan_work);
+       struct rndis_device *rdev;
+       int i, ret;
+
+       /* Avoid deadlock with device removal already under RTNL */
+       if (!rtnl_trylock()) {
+               schedule_work(w);
+               return;
+       }
+
+       rdev = nvdev->extension;
+       if (rdev) {
+               ret = rndis_set_subchannel(rdev->ndev, nvdev);
+               if (ret == 0) {
+                       netif_device_attach(rdev->ndev);
+               } else {
+                       /* fallback to only primary channel */
+                       for (i = 1; i < nvdev->num_chn; i++)
+                               netif_napi_del(&nvdev->chan_table[i].napi);
+
+                       nvdev->max_chn = 1;
+                       nvdev->num_chn = 1;
+               }
+       }
+
+       rtnl_unlock();
+}
+
 static struct netvsc_device *alloc_net_device(void)
 {
        struct netvsc_device *net_device;
 
        init_completion(&net_device->channel_init_wait);
        init_waitqueue_head(&net_device->subchan_open);
-       INIT_WORK(&net_device->subchan_work, rndis_set_subchannel);
+       INIT_WORK(&net_device->subchan_work, netvsc_subchan_work);
 
        return net_device;
 }
 
        if (IS_ERR(nvdev))
                return PTR_ERR(nvdev);
 
-       /* Note: enable and attach happen when sub-channels setup */
+       if (nvdev->num_chn > 1) {
+               ret = rndis_set_subchannel(ndev, nvdev);
+
+               /* if unavailable, just proceed with one queue */
+               if (ret) {
+                       nvdev->max_chn = 1;
+                       nvdev->num_chn = 1;
+               }
+       }
+
+       /* In any case device is now ready */
+       netif_device_attach(ndev);
 
+       /* Note: enable and attach happen when sub-channels setup */
        netif_carrier_off(ndev);
 
        if (netif_running(ndev)) {
 
        memcpy(net->dev_addr, device_info.mac_adr, ETH_ALEN);
 
+       if (nvdev->num_chn > 1)
+               schedule_work(&nvdev->subchan_work);
+
        /* hw_features computed in rndis_netdev_set_hwcaps() */
        net->features = net->hw_features |
                NETIF_F_HIGHDMA | NETIF_F_SG |
 
  * This breaks overlap of processing the host message for the
  * new primary channel with the initialization of sub-channels.
  */
-void rndis_set_subchannel(struct work_struct *w)
+int rndis_set_subchannel(struct net_device *ndev, struct netvsc_device *nvdev)
 {
-       struct netvsc_device *nvdev
-               = container_of(w, struct netvsc_device, subchan_work);
        struct nvsp_message *init_packet = &nvdev->channel_init_pkt;
-       struct net_device_context *ndev_ctx;
-       struct rndis_device *rdev;
-       struct net_device *ndev;
-       struct hv_device *hv_dev;
+       struct net_device_context *ndev_ctx = netdev_priv(ndev);
+       struct hv_device *hv_dev = ndev_ctx->device_ctx;
+       struct rndis_device *rdev = nvdev->extension;
        int i, ret;
 
-       if (!rtnl_trylock()) {
-               schedule_work(w);
-               return;
-       }
-
-       rdev = nvdev->extension;
-       if (!rdev)
-               goto unlock;    /* device was removed */
-
-       ndev = rdev->ndev;
-       ndev_ctx = netdev_priv(ndev);
-       hv_dev = ndev_ctx->device_ctx;
+       ASSERT_RTNL();
 
        memset(init_packet, 0, sizeof(struct nvsp_message));
        init_packet->hdr.msg_type = NVSP_MSG5_TYPE_SUBCHANNEL;
                               VMBUS_DATA_PACKET_FLAG_COMPLETION_REQUESTED);
        if (ret) {
                netdev_err(ndev, "sub channel allocate send failed: %d\n", ret);
-               goto failed;
+               return ret;
        }
 
        wait_for_completion(&nvdev->channel_init_wait);
        if (init_packet->msg.v5_msg.subchn_comp.status != NVSP_STAT_SUCCESS) {
                netdev_err(ndev, "sub channel request failed\n");
-               goto failed;
+               return -EIO;
        }
 
        nvdev->num_chn = 1 +
        for (i = 0; i < VRSS_SEND_TAB_SIZE; i++)
                ndev_ctx->tx_table[i] = i % nvdev->num_chn;
 
-       netif_device_attach(ndev);
-       rtnl_unlock();
-       return;
-
-failed:
-       /* fallback to only primary channel */
-       for (i = 1; i < nvdev->num_chn; i++)
-               netif_napi_del(&nvdev->chan_table[i].napi);
-
-       nvdev->max_chn = 1;
-       nvdev->num_chn = 1;
-
-       netif_device_attach(ndev);
-unlock:
-       rtnl_unlock();
+       return 0;
 }
 
 static int rndis_netdev_set_hwcaps(struct rndis_device *rndis_device,
                netif_napi_add(net, &net_device->chan_table[i].napi,
                               netvsc_poll, NAPI_POLL_WEIGHT);
 
-       if (net_device->num_chn > 1)
-               schedule_work(&net_device->subchan_work);
+       return net_device;
 
 out:
-       /* if unavailable, just proceed with one queue */
-       if (ret) {
-               net_device->max_chn = 1;
-               net_device->num_chn = 1;
-       }
-
-       /* No sub channels, device is ready */
-       if (net_device->num_chn == 1)
-               netif_device_attach(net);
-
-       return net_device;
+       /* setting up multiple channels failed */
+       net_device->max_chn = 1;
+       net_device->num_chn = 1;
 
 err_dev_remv:
        rndis_filter_device_remove(dev, net_device);