diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
index 5765715914d6..050f8241ef5e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ enum iavf_vlan_state_t {
 	IAVF_VLAN_ADDING,	/* ADD sent to PF, waiting for response */
 	IAVF_VLAN_ACTIVE,	/* PF confirmed, filter is in HW */
 	IAVF_VLAN_REMOVE,	/* filter queued for DEL from PF */
+	IAVF_VLAN_REMOVING,	/* DEL sent to PF, waiting for response */
 };
 
 struct iavf_vlan_filter {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
index ca29038c0016..d2914c511e1e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
@@ -757,10 +757,10 @@ iavf_vlan_filter *iavf_add_vlan(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 		adapter->num_vlan_filters++;
 		iavf_schedule_aq_request(adapter, IAVF_FLAG_AQ_ADD_VLAN_FILTER);
 	} else if (f->state == IAVF_VLAN_REMOVE) {
-		/* Re-add the filter since we cannot tell whether the
-		 * pending delete has already been processed by the PF.
-		 * A duplicate add is harmless.
-		 */
+		/* DEL not yet sent to PF, cancel it */
+		f->state = IAVF_VLAN_ACTIVE;
+	} else if (f->state == IAVF_VLAN_REMOVING) {
+		/* DEL already sent to PF, re-add after completion */
 		f->state = IAVF_VLAN_ADD;
 		iavf_schedule_aq_request(adapter,
 					 IAVF_FLAG_AQ_ADD_VLAN_FILTER);
@@ -791,11 +791,14 @@ static void iavf_del_vlan(struct iavf_adapter *adapter, struct iavf_vlan vlan)
 			list_del(&f->list);
 			kfree(f);
 			adapter->num_vlan_filters--;
-		} else {
+		} else if (f->state != IAVF_VLAN_REMOVING) {
 			f->state = IAVF_VLAN_REMOVE;
 			iavf_schedule_aq_request(adapter,
 						 IAVF_FLAG_AQ_DEL_VLAN_FILTER);
 		}
+		/* If REMOVING, DEL is already sent to PF; completion
+		 * handler will free the filter when PF confirms.
+		 */
 	}
 
 	spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->mac_vlan_list_lock);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c
index 4f197d908124..93ca79c3e3b5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_virtchnl.c
@@ -948,12 +948,10 @@ void iavf_del_vlans(struct iavf_adapter *adapter)
 
 		vvfl->vsi_id = adapter->vsi_res->vsi_id;
 		vvfl->num_elements = count;
-		list_for_each_entry_safe(f, ftmp, &adapter->vlan_filter_list, list) {
+		list_for_each_entry(f, &adapter->vlan_filter_list, list) {
 			if (f->state == IAVF_VLAN_REMOVE) {
 				vvfl->vlan_id[i] = f->vlan.vid;
-				list_del(&f->list);
-				kfree(f);
-				adapter->num_vlan_filters--;
+				f->state = IAVF_VLAN_REMOVING;
 				i++;
 				if (i == count)
 					break;
@@ -990,7 +988,7 @@ void iavf_del_vlans(struct iavf_adapter *adapter)
 
 		vvfl_v2->vport_id = adapter->vsi_res->vsi_id;
 		vvfl_v2->num_elements = count;
-		list_for_each_entry_safe(f, ftmp, &adapter->vlan_filter_list, list) {
+		list_for_each_entry(f, &adapter->vlan_filter_list, list) {
 			if (f->state == IAVF_VLAN_REMOVE) {
 				struct virtchnl_vlan_supported_caps *filtering_support =
 					&adapter->vlan_v2_caps.filtering.filtering_support;
@@ -1005,9 +1003,7 @@ void iavf_del_vlans(struct iavf_adapter *adapter)
 				vlan->tci = f->vlan.vid;
 				vlan->tpid = f->vlan.tpid;
 
-				list_del(&f->list);
-				kfree(f);
-				adapter->num_vlan_filters--;
+				f->state = IAVF_VLAN_REMOVING;
 				i++;
 				if (i == count)
 					break;
@@ -2370,10 +2366,6 @@ void iavf_virtchnl_completion(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 			ether_addr_copy(adapter->hw.mac.addr, netdev->dev_addr);
 			wake_up(&adapter->vc_waitqueue);
 			break;
-		case VIRTCHNL_OP_DEL_VLAN:
-			dev_err(&adapter->pdev->dev, "Failed to delete VLAN filter, error %s\n",
-				iavf_stat_str(&adapter->hw, v_retval));
-			break;
 		case VIRTCHNL_OP_DEL_ETH_ADDR:
 			dev_err(&adapter->pdev->dev, "Failed to delete MAC filter, error %s\n",
 				iavf_stat_str(&adapter->hw, v_retval));
@@ -2895,6 +2887,27 @@ void iavf_virtchnl_completion(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 		spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->mac_vlan_list_lock);
 		}
 		break;
+	case VIRTCHNL_OP_DEL_VLAN:
+	case VIRTCHNL_OP_DEL_VLAN_V2: {
+		struct iavf_vlan_filter *f, *ftmp;
+
+		spin_lock_bh(&adapter->mac_vlan_list_lock);
+		list_for_each_entry_safe(f, ftmp, &adapter->vlan_filter_list,
+					 list) {
+			if (f->state == IAVF_VLAN_REMOVING) {
+				if (v_retval) {
+					/* PF rejected DEL, keep filter */
+					f->state = IAVF_VLAN_ACTIVE;
+				} else {
+					list_del(&f->list);
+					kfree(f);
+					adapter->num_vlan_filters--;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->mac_vlan_list_lock);
+		}
+		break;
 	case VIRTCHNL_OP_ENABLE_VLAN_STRIPPING:
 		/* PF enabled vlan strip on this VF.
 		 * Update netdev->features if needed to be in sync with ethtool.