diff --git a/drivers/net/netconsole.c b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
index dfb67eb..eb41e44 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netconsole.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
@@ -671,6 +671,7 @@
 		goto done;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&target_list_lock, flags);
+restart:
 	list_for_each_entry(nt, &target_list, list) {
 		netconsole_target_get(nt);
 		if (nt->np.dev == dev) {
@@ -683,9 +684,16 @@
 				 * rtnl_lock already held
 				 */
 				if (nt->np.dev) {
+					spin_unlock_irqrestore(
+							      &target_list_lock,
+							      flags);
 					__netpoll_cleanup(&nt->np);
+					spin_lock_irqsave(&target_list_lock,
+							  flags);
 					dev_put(nt->np.dev);
 					nt->np.dev = NULL;
+					netconsole_target_put(nt);
+					goto restart;
 				}
 				/* Fall through */
 			case NETDEV_GOING_DOWN: