diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index 838935d1cdbb0c386f8acf31ccbfb943c8993802..e5c33b29471b70bd5bc9fc70af4b91a33758b234 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -474,9 +474,10 @@ void napi_hash_add(struct napi_struct *napi);
  *	@napi: napi context
  *
  * Warning: caller must observe rcu grace period
- * before freeing memory containing @napi
+ * before freeing memory containing @napi, if
+ * this function returns true.
  */
-void napi_hash_del(struct napi_struct *napi);
+bool napi_hash_del(struct napi_struct *napi);
 
 /**
  *	napi_disable - prevent NAPI from scheduling
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 02dfbd91a8e4626659a5b79d65ce554c5fa14ff9..59dddac1c2e70c99b7879936e56041945ea9dbf7 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -4760,14 +4760,18 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(napi_hash_add);
 /* Warning : caller is responsible to make sure rcu grace period
  * is respected before freeing memory containing @napi
  */
-void napi_hash_del(struct napi_struct *napi)
+bool napi_hash_del(struct napi_struct *napi)
 {
+	bool rcu_sync_needed = false;
+
 	spin_lock(&napi_hash_lock);
 
-	if (test_and_clear_bit(NAPI_STATE_HASHED, &napi->state))
+	if (test_and_clear_bit(NAPI_STATE_HASHED, &napi->state)) {
+		rcu_sync_needed = true;
 		hlist_del_rcu(&napi->napi_hash_node);
-
+	}
 	spin_unlock(&napi_hash_lock);
+	return rcu_sync_needed;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(napi_hash_del);