diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_main.c
index 6c73acf7d2d9..d3392569485c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_main.c
@@ -958,6 +958,12 @@ void i40evf_down(struct i40evf_adapter *adapter)
 	if (adapter->state == __I40EVF_DOWN)
 		return;
 
+	while (test_and_set_bit(__I40EVF_IN_CRITICAL_TASK,
+				&adapter->crit_section))
+		usleep_range(500, 1000);
+
+	i40evf_irq_disable(adapter);
+
 	/* remove all MAC filters */
 	list_for_each_entry(f, &adapter->mac_filter_list, list) {
 		f->remove = true;
@@ -968,22 +974,27 @@ void i40evf_down(struct i40evf_adapter *adapter)
 	}
 	if (!(adapter->flags & I40EVF_FLAG_PF_COMMS_FAILED) &&
 	    adapter->state != __I40EVF_RESETTING) {
-		adapter->aq_required |= I40EVF_FLAG_AQ_DEL_MAC_FILTER;
+		/* cancel any current operation */
+		adapter->current_op = I40E_VIRTCHNL_OP_UNKNOWN;
+		adapter->aq_pending = 0;
+		/* Schedule operations to close down the HW. Don't wait
+		 * here for this to complete. The watchdog is still running
+		 * and it will take care of this.
+		 */
+		adapter->aq_required = I40EVF_FLAG_AQ_DEL_MAC_FILTER;
 		adapter->aq_required |= I40EVF_FLAG_AQ_DEL_VLAN_FILTER;
-		/* disable receives */
 		adapter->aq_required |= I40EVF_FLAG_AQ_DISABLE_QUEUES;
-		mod_timer_pending(&adapter->watchdog_timer, jiffies + 1);
-		msleep(20);
 	}
 	netif_tx_disable(netdev);
 
 	netif_tx_stop_all_queues(netdev);
 
-	i40evf_irq_disable(adapter);
-
 	i40evf_napi_disable_all(adapter);
 
+	msleep(20);
+
 	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
+	clear_bit(__I40EVF_IN_CRITICAL_TASK, &adapter->crit_section);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2408,6 +2419,7 @@ static void i40evf_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	struct i40evf_adapter *adapter = netdev_priv(netdev);
 	struct i40evf_mac_filter *f, *ftmp;
 	struct i40e_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
+	int count = 50;
 
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&adapter->init_task);
 	cancel_work_sync(&adapter->reset_task);
@@ -2416,6 +2428,11 @@ static void i40evf_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 		unregister_netdev(netdev);
 		adapter->netdev_registered = false;
 	}
+	while (count-- && adapter->aq_required)
+		msleep(50);
+
+	if (count < 0)
+		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "Timed out waiting for PF driver.\n");
 	adapter->state = __I40EVF_REMOVE;
 
 	if (adapter->msix_entries) {