diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c
index 14d10659bce7..785c6492f170 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c
@@ -668,4 +668,6 @@ void cvm_oct_tx_shutdown(void)
 {
 	/* Free the interrupt handler */
 	free_irq(OCTEON_IRQ_TIMER1, cvm_oct_device);
+
+	tasklet_kill(&cvm_oct_tx_cleanup_tasklet);
 }