diff --git a/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c b/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c
index 2e0420febda0..9993c1dfe471 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ovpn/main.c
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ static void ovpn_net_uninit(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ovpn_priv *ovpn = netdev_priv(dev);
 
+	disable_delayed_work_sync(&ovpn->keepalive_work);
+	ovpn_peers_free(ovpn, NULL, OVPN_DEL_PEER_REASON_TEARDOWN);
 	gro_cells_destroy(&ovpn->gro_cells);
 }
 
@@ -208,15 +210,6 @@ static int ovpn_newlink(struct net_device *dev,
 	return register_netdevice(dev);
 }
 
-static void ovpn_dellink(struct net_device *dev, struct list_head *head)
-{
-	struct ovpn_priv *ovpn = netdev_priv(dev);
-
-	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&ovpn->keepalive_work);
-	ovpn_peers_free(ovpn, NULL, OVPN_DEL_PEER_REASON_TEARDOWN);
-	unregister_netdevice_queue(dev, head);
-}
-
 static int ovpn_fill_info(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ovpn_priv *ovpn = netdev_priv(dev);
@@ -235,7 +228,6 @@ static struct rtnl_link_ops ovpn_link_ops = {
 	.policy = ovpn_policy,
 	.maxtype = IFLA_OVPN_MAX,
 	.newlink = ovpn_newlink,
-	.dellink = ovpn_dellink,
 	.fill_info = ovpn_fill_info,
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c b/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c
index fb10d1fea940..a09d61296425 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c
@@ -1034,14 +1034,29 @@ static int ovpn_peer_add_p2p(struct ovpn_priv *ovpn, struct ovpn_peer *peer)
  */
 int ovpn_peer_add(struct ovpn_priv *ovpn, struct ovpn_peer *peer)
 {
+	int ret = -ENODEV;
+
+	/* Prevent adding new peers while destroying the ovpn interface.
+	 * Failing to do so would end up holding the device reference
+	 * endlessly hostage of the new peer object with no chance of
+	 * release..
+	 */
+	netdev_lock(ovpn->dev);
+	if (ovpn->dev->reg_state != NETREG_REGISTERED)
+		goto out;
+
 	switch (ovpn->mode) {
 	case OVPN_MODE_MP:
-		return ovpn_peer_add_mp(ovpn, peer);
+		ret = ovpn_peer_add_mp(ovpn, peer);
+		break;
 	case OVPN_MODE_P2P:
-		return ovpn_peer_add_p2p(ovpn, peer);
+		ret = ovpn_peer_add_p2p(ovpn, peer);
+		break;
 	}
+out:
+	netdev_unlock(ovpn->dev);
 
-	return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /**