diff --git a/net/sunrpc/sched.c b/net/sunrpc/sched.c
index a27406b1654f..4814e246a874 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/sched.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/sched.c
@@ -616,30 +616,25 @@ static void __rpc_execute(struct rpc_task *task)
 	BUG_ON(RPC_IS_QUEUED(task));
 
 	for (;;) {
+		void (*do_action)(struct rpc_task *);
 
 		/*
-		 * Execute any pending callback.
+		 * Execute any pending callback first.
 		 */
-		if (task->tk_callback) {
-			void (*save_callback)(struct rpc_task *);
-
-			/*
-			 * We set tk_callback to NULL before calling it,
-			 * in case it sets the tk_callback field itself:
-			 */
-			save_callback = task->tk_callback;
-			task->tk_callback = NULL;
-			save_callback(task);
-		} else {
+		do_action = task->tk_callback;
+		task->tk_callback = NULL;
+		if (do_action == NULL) {
 			/*
 			 * Perform the next FSM step.
-			 * tk_action may be NULL when the task has been killed
-			 * by someone else.
+			 * tk_action may be NULL if the task has been killed.
+			 * In particular, note that rpc_killall_tasks may
+			 * do this at any time, so beware when dereferencing.
 			 */
-			if (task->tk_action == NULL)
+			do_action = task->tk_action;
+			if (do_action == NULL)
 				break;
-			task->tk_action(task);
 		}
+		do_action(task);
 
 		/*
 		 * Lockless check for whether task is sleeping or not.