diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
index 6bd1dd13682c..48f3fd501ac8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
@@ -5123,14 +5123,14 @@ static int __ixgbe_shutdown(struct pci_dev *pdev, bool *enable_wake)
 
 	netif_device_detach(netdev);
 
+	rtnl_lock();
 	if (netif_running(netdev)) {
-		rtnl_lock();
 		ixgbe_down(adapter);
 		ixgbe_free_irq(adapter);
 		ixgbe_free_all_tx_resources(adapter);
 		ixgbe_free_all_rx_resources(adapter);
-		rtnl_unlock();
 	}
+	rtnl_unlock();
 
 	ixgbe_clear_interrupt_scheme(adapter);