diff --git a/fs/afs/fs_probe.c b/fs/afs/fs_probe.c
index b34f74b0f319..5d9ef517cf81 100644
--- a/fs/afs/fs_probe.c
+++ b/fs/afs/fs_probe.c
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ void afs_fs_probe_timer(struct timer_list *timer)
 {
 	struct afs_net *net = container_of(timer, struct afs_net, fs_probe_timer);
 
-	if (!queue_work(afs_wq, &net->fs_prober))
+	if (!net->live || !queue_work(afs_wq, &net->fs_prober))
 		afs_dec_servers_outstanding(net);
 }
 
@@ -458,3 +458,12 @@ int afs_wait_for_one_fs_probe(struct afs_server *server, bool is_intr)
 		return -ETIME;
 	return -EDESTADDRREQ;
 }
+
+/*
+ * Clean up the probing when the namespace is killed off.
+ */
+void afs_fs_probe_cleanup(struct afs_net *net)
+{
+	if (del_timer_sync(&net->fs_probe_timer))
+		afs_dec_servers_outstanding(net);
+}
diff --git a/fs/afs/internal.h b/fs/afs/internal.h
index 573a5922c3bb..d520535ddb62 100644
--- a/fs/afs/internal.h
+++ b/fs/afs/internal.h
@@ -1065,6 +1065,7 @@ extern int afs_wait_for_fs_probes(struct afs_server_list *, unsigned long);
 extern void afs_probe_fileserver(struct afs_net *, struct afs_server *);
 extern void afs_fs_probe_dispatcher(struct work_struct *);
 extern int afs_wait_for_one_fs_probe(struct afs_server *, bool);
+extern void afs_fs_probe_cleanup(struct afs_net *);
 
 /*
  * inode.c
diff --git a/fs/afs/main.c b/fs/afs/main.c
index 9c79c91e8005..31b472f7c734 100644
--- a/fs/afs/main.c
+++ b/fs/afs/main.c
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ static int __net_init afs_net_init(struct net *net_ns)
 	timer_setup(&net->fs_timer, afs_servers_timer, 0);
 	INIT_WORK(&net->fs_prober, afs_fs_probe_dispatcher);
 	timer_setup(&net->fs_probe_timer, afs_fs_probe_timer, 0);
+	atomic_set(&net->servers_outstanding, 1);
 
 	ret = -ENOMEM;
 	sysnames = kzalloc(sizeof(*sysnames), GFP_KERNEL);
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ static int __net_init afs_net_init(struct net *net_ns)
 
 error_open_socket:
 	net->live = false;
+	afs_fs_probe_cleanup(net);
 	afs_cell_purge(net);
 	afs_purge_servers(net);
 error_cell_init:
@@ -150,6 +152,7 @@ static void __net_exit afs_net_exit(struct net *net_ns)
 	struct afs_net *net = afs_net(net_ns);
 
 	net->live = false;
+	afs_fs_probe_cleanup(net);
 	afs_cell_purge(net);
 	afs_purge_servers(net);
 	afs_close_socket(net);
diff --git a/fs/afs/server.c b/fs/afs/server.c
index 039e3488511c..e82e452e2612 100644
--- a/fs/afs/server.c
+++ b/fs/afs/server.c
@@ -605,11 +605,12 @@ void afs_purge_servers(struct afs_net *net)
 	_enter("");
 
 	if (del_timer_sync(&net->fs_timer))
-		atomic_dec(&net->servers_outstanding);
+		afs_dec_servers_outstanding(net);
 
 	afs_queue_server_manager(net);
 
 	_debug("wait");
+	atomic_dec(&net->servers_outstanding);
 	wait_var_event(&net->servers_outstanding,
 		       !atomic_read(&net->servers_outstanding));
 	_leave("");