diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en.h
index b2a5da9739d2b4..729a11b5fb2524 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en.h
@@ -826,6 +826,7 @@ enum {
 	MLX5E_STATE_DESTROYING,
 	MLX5E_STATE_XDP_TX_ENABLED,
 	MLX5E_STATE_XDP_ACTIVE,
+	MLX5E_STATE_CHANNELS_ACTIVE,
 };
 
 struct mlx5e_modify_sq_param {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
index ea58c691743302..0c87ddb8a7a218 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
@@ -2731,6 +2731,7 @@ void mlx5e_close_channels(struct mlx5e_channels *chs)
 {
 	int i;
 
+	ASSERT_RTNL();
 	if (chs->ptp) {
 		mlx5e_ptp_close(chs->ptp);
 		chs->ptp = NULL;
@@ -3012,17 +3013,29 @@ void mlx5e_activate_priv_channels(struct mlx5e_priv *priv)
 	if (mlx5e_is_vport_rep(priv))
 		mlx5e_rep_activate_channels(priv);
 
+	set_bit(MLX5E_STATE_CHANNELS_ACTIVE, &priv->state);
+
 	mlx5e_wait_channels_min_rx_wqes(&priv->channels);
 
 	if (priv->rx_res)
 		mlx5e_rx_res_channels_activate(priv->rx_res, &priv->channels);
 }
 
+static void mlx5e_cancel_tx_timeout_work(struct mlx5e_priv *priv)
+{
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(test_bit(MLX5E_STATE_CHANNELS_ACTIVE, &priv->state));
+	if (current_work() != &priv->tx_timeout_work)
+		cancel_work_sync(&priv->tx_timeout_work);
+}
+
 void mlx5e_deactivate_priv_channels(struct mlx5e_priv *priv)
 {
 	if (priv->rx_res)
 		mlx5e_rx_res_channels_deactivate(priv->rx_res);
 
+	clear_bit(MLX5E_STATE_CHANNELS_ACTIVE, &priv->state);
+	mlx5e_cancel_tx_timeout_work(priv);
+
 	if (mlx5e_is_vport_rep(priv))
 		mlx5e_rep_deactivate_channels(priv);
 
@@ -4801,8 +4814,17 @@ static void mlx5e_tx_timeout_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct net_device *netdev = priv->netdev;
 	int i;
 
-	rtnl_lock();
-	mutex_lock(&priv->state_lock);
+	/* Take rtnl_lock to ensure no change in netdev->real_num_tx_queues
+	 * through this flow. However, channel closing flows have to wait for
+	 * this work to finish while holding rtnl lock too. So either get the
+	 * lock or find that channels are being closed for other reason and
+	 * this work is not relevant anymore.
+	 */
+	while (!rtnl_trylock()) {
+		if (!test_bit(MLX5E_STATE_CHANNELS_ACTIVE, &priv->state))
+			return;
+		msleep(20);
+	}
 
 	if (!test_bit(MLX5E_STATE_OPENED, &priv->state))
 		goto unlock;
@@ -4821,7 +4843,6 @@ static void mlx5e_tx_timeout_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 
 unlock:
-	mutex_unlock(&priv->state_lock);
 	rtnl_unlock();
 }