diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
index ffc61993019b..9a122aea6979 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ struct iavf_adapter {
 #define IAVF_FLAG_LEGACY_RX			BIT(15)
 #define IAVF_FLAG_REINIT_ITR_NEEDED		BIT(16)
 #define IAVF_FLAG_QUEUES_DISABLED		BIT(17)
+#define IAVF_FLAG_SETUP_NETDEV_FEATURES		BIT(18)
 /* duplicates for common code */
 #define IAVF_FLAG_DCB_ENABLED			0
 	/* flags for admin queue service task */
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
index 57ecdff870a1..d11e172252b4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
@@ -2463,6 +2463,18 @@ static void iavf_adminq_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	} while (pending);
 	mutex_unlock(&adapter->crit_lock);
 
+	if ((adapter->flags & IAVF_FLAG_SETUP_NETDEV_FEATURES)) {
+		if (adapter->netdev_registered ||
+		    !test_bit(__IAVF_IN_REMOVE_TASK, &adapter->crit_section)) {
+			struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
+
+			rtnl_lock();
+			netdev_update_features(netdev);
+			rtnl_unlock();
+		}
+
+		adapter->flags &= ~IAVF_FLAG_SETUP_NETDEV_FEATURES;
+	}
 	if ((adapter->flags &
 	     (IAVF_FLAG_RESET_PENDING | IAVF_FLAG_RESET_NEEDED)) ||
 	    adapter->state == __IAVF_RESETTING)
@@ -4027,8 +4039,10 @@ static void iavf_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&adapter->watchdog_task);
 
 	if (adapter->netdev_registered) {
-		unregister_netdev(netdev);
+		rtnl_lock();
+		unregister_netdevice(netdev);
 		adapter->netdev_registered = false;
+		rtnl_unlock();
 	}
 	if (CLIENT_ALLOWED(adapter)) {
 		err = iavf_lan_del_device(adapter);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c
index 845976a9ec5f..8a1c293b8c7a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c
@@ -1752,19 +1752,7 @@ void iavf_virtchnl_completion(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 
 		spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->mac_vlan_list_lock);
 		iavf_process_config(adapter);
-
-		/* unlock crit_lock before acquiring rtnl_lock as other
-		 * processes holding rtnl_lock could be waiting for the same
-		 * crit_lock
-		 */
-		mutex_unlock(&adapter->crit_lock);
-		rtnl_lock();
-		netdev_update_features(adapter->netdev);
-		rtnl_unlock();
-		if (iavf_lock_timeout(&adapter->crit_lock, 10000))
-			dev_warn(&adapter->pdev->dev, "failed to acquire crit_lock in %s\n",
-				 __FUNCTION__);
-
+		adapter->flags |= IAVF_FLAG_SETUP_NETDEV_FEATURES;
 		}
 		break;
 	case VIRTCHNL_OP_ENABLE_QUEUES: