batadv_hardif_free_ref(primary_if);
 }
 
+/**
+ * batadv_hardif_remove_interface_finish - cleans up the remains of a hardif
+ * @work: work queue item
+ *
+ * Free the parts of the hard interface which can not be removed under
+ * rtnl lock (to prevent deadlock situations).
+ */
+static void batadv_hardif_remove_interface_finish(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+       struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface;
+
+       hard_iface = container_of(work, struct batadv_hard_iface,
+                                 cleanup_work);
+
+       batadv_sysfs_del_hardif(&hard_iface->hardif_obj);
+       batadv_hardif_free_ref(hard_iface);
+}
+
 static struct batadv_hard_iface *
 batadv_hardif_add_interface(struct net_device *net_dev)
 {
        hard_iface->soft_iface = NULL;
        hard_iface->if_status = BATADV_IF_NOT_IN_USE;
        INIT_LIST_HEAD(&hard_iface->list);
+       INIT_WORK(&hard_iface->cleanup_work,
+                 batadv_hardif_remove_interface_finish);
+
        /* extra reference for return */
        atomic_set(&hard_iface->refcount, 2);
 
                return;
 
        hard_iface->if_status = BATADV_IF_TO_BE_REMOVED;
-       batadv_sysfs_del_hardif(&hard_iface->hardif_obj);
-       batadv_hardif_free_ref(hard_iface);
+       queue_work(batadv_event_workqueue, &hard_iface->cleanup_work);
 }
 
 void batadv_hardif_remove_interfaces(void)
 
        memset(priv, 0, sizeof(*priv));
 }
 
+/**
+ * batadv_softif_destroy_finish - cleans up the remains of a softif
+ * @work: work queue item
+ *
+ * Free the parts of the soft interface which can not be removed under
+ * rtnl lock (to prevent deadlock situations).
+ */
+static void batadv_softif_destroy_finish(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+       struct batadv_priv *bat_priv;
+       struct net_device *soft_iface;
+
+       bat_priv = container_of(work, struct batadv_priv,
+                               cleanup_work);
+       soft_iface = bat_priv->soft_iface;
+
+       batadv_debugfs_del_meshif(soft_iface);
+       batadv_sysfs_del_meshif(soft_iface);
+
+       rtnl_lock();
+       unregister_netdevice(soft_iface);
+       rtnl_unlock();
+}
+
 struct net_device *batadv_softif_create(const char *name)
 {
        struct net_device *soft_iface;
                goto out;
 
        bat_priv = netdev_priv(soft_iface);
+       bat_priv->soft_iface = soft_iface;
+       INIT_WORK(&bat_priv->cleanup_work, batadv_softif_destroy_finish);
 
        /* batadv_interface_stats() needs to be available as soon as
         * register_netdevice() has been called
 
 void batadv_softif_destroy(struct net_device *soft_iface)
 {
-       batadv_debugfs_del_meshif(soft_iface);
-       batadv_sysfs_del_meshif(soft_iface);
+       struct batadv_priv *bat_priv = netdev_priv(soft_iface);
+
        batadv_mesh_free(soft_iface);
-       unregister_netdevice(soft_iface);
+       queue_work(batadv_event_workqueue, &bat_priv->cleanup_work);
 }
 
 int batadv_softif_is_valid(const struct net_device *net_dev)
 
  * @soft_iface: the batman-adv interface which uses this network interface
  * @rcu: struct used for freeing in an RCU-safe manner
  * @bat_iv: BATMAN IV specific per hard interface data
+ * @cleanup_work: work queue callback item for hard interface deinit
  */
 struct batadv_hard_iface {
        struct list_head list;
        struct net_device *soft_iface;
        struct rcu_head rcu;
        struct batadv_hard_iface_bat_iv bat_iv;
+       struct work_struct cleanup_work;
 };
 
 /**
 /**
  * struct batadv_priv - per mesh interface data
  * @mesh_state: current status of the mesh (inactive/active/deactivating)
+ * @soft_iface: net device which holds this struct as private data
  * @stats: structure holding the data for the ndo_get_stats() call
  * @bat_counters: mesh internal traffic statistic counters (see batadv_counters)
  * @aggregated_ogms: bool indicating whether OGM aggregation is enabled
  * @forw_bat_list_lock: lock protecting forw_bat_list
  * @forw_bcast_list_lock: lock protecting forw_bcast_list
  * @orig_work: work queue callback item for orig node purging
+ * @cleanup_work: work queue callback item for soft interface deinit
  * @primary_if: one of the hard interfaces assigned to this mesh interface
  *  becomes the primary interface
  * @bat_algo_ops: routing algorithm used by this mesh interface
  */
 struct batadv_priv {
        atomic_t mesh_state;
+       struct net_device *soft_iface;
        struct net_device_stats stats;
        uint64_t __percpu *bat_counters; /* Per cpu counters */
        atomic_t aggregated_ogms;
        spinlock_t forw_bat_list_lock; /* protects forw_bat_list */
        spinlock_t forw_bcast_list_lock; /* protects forw_bcast_list */
        struct delayed_work orig_work;
+       struct work_struct cleanup_work;
        struct batadv_hard_iface __rcu *primary_if;  /* rcu protected pointer */
        struct batadv_algo_ops *bat_algo_ops;
 #ifdef CONFIG_BATMAN_ADV_BLA