diff --git a/net/ethtool/module.c b/net/ethtool/module.c
index 392c03935e5e..cdb85e19a23b 100644
--- a/net/ethtool/module.c
+++ b/net/ethtool/module.c
@@ -221,14 +221,22 @@ static void module_flash_fw_work_list_del(struct list_head *list)
 static void module_flash_fw_work(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct ethtool_module_fw_flash *module_fw;
+	struct net_device *dev;
 
 	module_fw = container_of(work, struct ethtool_module_fw_flash, work);
+	dev = module_fw->fw_update.dev;
 
 	ethtool_cmis_fw_update(&module_fw->fw_update);
 
 	module_flash_fw_work_list_del(&module_fw->list);
-	module_fw->fw_update.dev->ethtool->module_fw_flash_in_progress = false;
-	netdev_put(module_fw->fw_update.dev, &module_fw->dev_tracker);
+
+	rtnl_lock();
+	netdev_lock_ops(dev);
+	dev->ethtool->module_fw_flash_in_progress = false;
+	netdev_unlock_ops(dev);
+	rtnl_unlock();
+
+	netdev_put(dev, &module_fw->dev_tracker);
 	release_firmware(module_fw->fw_update.fw);
 	kfree(module_fw);
 }