diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c
index d8066bff5f7b..ab69b6d62509 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c
@@ -1200,7 +1200,6 @@ static void octep_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	if (!oct)
 		return;
 
-	cancel_work_sync(&oct->ctrl_mbox_task);
 	netdev = oct->netdev;
 	if (netdev->reg_state == NETREG_REGISTERED)
 		unregister_netdev(netdev);
@@ -1208,6 +1207,7 @@ static void octep_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	cancel_work_sync(&oct->tx_timeout_task);
 	oct->poll_non_ioq_intr = false;
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&oct->intr_poll_task);
+	cancel_work_sync(&oct->ctrl_mbox_task);
 	octep_device_cleanup(oct);
 	pci_release_mem_regions(pdev);
 	free_netdev(netdev);