diff --git a/net/wireless/core.c b/net/wireless/core.c
index a2785379df6e..589ee5a69a2e 100644
--- a/net/wireless/core.c
+++ b/net/wireless/core.c
@@ -332,14 +332,29 @@ static void cfg80211_event_work(struct work_struct *work)
 void cfg80211_destroy_ifaces(struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev)
 {
 	struct wireless_dev *wdev, *tmp;
+	bool found = false;
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
-	lockdep_assert_wiphy(&rdev->wiphy);
 
-	list_for_each_entry_safe(wdev, tmp, &rdev->wiphy.wdev_list, list) {
-		if (wdev->nl_owner_dead)
-			rdev_del_virtual_intf(rdev, wdev);
+	list_for_each_entry(wdev, &rdev->wiphy.wdev_list, list) {
+		if (wdev->nl_owner_dead) {
+			if (wdev->netdev)
+				dev_close(wdev->netdev);
+			found = true;
+		}
 	}
+
+	if (!found)
+		return;
+
+	wiphy_lock(&rdev->wiphy);
+	list_for_each_entry_safe(wdev, tmp, &rdev->wiphy.wdev_list, list) {
+		if (wdev->nl_owner_dead) {
+			cfg80211_leave(rdev, wdev);
+			rdev_del_virtual_intf(rdev, wdev);
+		}
+	}
+	wiphy_unlock(&rdev->wiphy);
 }
 
 static void cfg80211_destroy_iface_wk(struct work_struct *work)
@@ -350,9 +365,7 @@ static void cfg80211_destroy_iface_wk(struct work_struct *work)
 			    destroy_work);
 
 	rtnl_lock();
-	wiphy_lock(&rdev->wiphy);
 	cfg80211_destroy_ifaces(rdev);
-	wiphy_unlock(&rdev->wiphy);
 	rtnl_unlock();
 }
 
diff --git a/net/wireless/nl80211.c b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
index b1df42e4f1eb..a5224da63832 100644
--- a/net/wireless/nl80211.c
+++ b/net/wireless/nl80211.c
@@ -3929,7 +3929,7 @@ static int nl80211_set_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	return err;
 }
 
-static int nl80211_new_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
+static int _nl80211_new_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 {
 	struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev = info->user_ptr[0];
 	struct vif_params params;
@@ -3938,9 +3938,6 @@ static int nl80211_new_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	int err;
 	enum nl80211_iftype type = NL80211_IFTYPE_UNSPECIFIED;
 
-	/* to avoid failing a new interface creation due to pending removal */
-	cfg80211_destroy_ifaces(rdev);
-
 	memset(&params, 0, sizeof(params));
 
 	if (!info->attrs[NL80211_ATTR_IFNAME])
@@ -4028,6 +4025,21 @@ static int nl80211_new_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	return genlmsg_reply(msg, info);
 }
 
+static int nl80211_new_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
+{
+	struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev = info->user_ptr[0];
+	int ret;
+
+	/* to avoid failing a new interface creation due to pending removal */
+	cfg80211_destroy_ifaces(rdev);
+
+	wiphy_lock(&rdev->wiphy);
+	ret = _nl80211_new_interface(skb, info);
+	wiphy_unlock(&rdev->wiphy);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static int nl80211_del_interface(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 {
 	struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev = info->user_ptr[0];
@@ -15040,7 +15052,9 @@ static const struct genl_small_ops nl80211_small_ops[] = {
 		.doit = nl80211_new_interface,
 		.flags = GENL_UNS_ADMIN_PERM,
 		.internal_flags = NL80211_FLAG_NEED_WIPHY |
-				  NL80211_FLAG_NEED_RTNL,
+				  NL80211_FLAG_NEED_RTNL |
+				  /* we take the wiphy mutex later ourselves */
+				  NL80211_FLAG_NO_WIPHY_MTX,
 	},
 	{
 		.cmd = NL80211_CMD_DEL_INTERFACE,