diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_ib.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_ib.c
index c97384c914a4..d77e8e2ae05f 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_ib.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_ib.c
@@ -1203,13 +1203,10 @@ static void __ipoib_ib_dev_flush(struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv,
 		ipoib_ib_dev_down(dev);
 
 	if (level == IPOIB_FLUSH_HEAVY) {
-		rtnl_lock();
 		if (test_bit(IPOIB_FLAG_INITIALIZED, &priv->flags))
 			ipoib_ib_dev_stop(dev);
 
-		result = ipoib_ib_dev_open(dev);
-		rtnl_unlock();
-		if (result)
+		if (ipoib_ib_dev_open(dev))
 			return;
 
 		if (netif_queue_stopped(dev))
@@ -1249,7 +1246,9 @@ void ipoib_ib_dev_flush_heavy(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv =
 		container_of(work, struct ipoib_dev_priv, flush_heavy);
 
+	rtnl_lock();
 	__ipoib_ib_dev_flush(priv, IPOIB_FLUSH_HEAVY, 0);
+	rtnl_unlock();
 }
 
 void ipoib_ib_dev_cleanup(struct net_device *dev)