diff --git a/net/tipc/bcast.c b/net/tipc/bcast.c
index 4c2a80b3c01e102dfe7e17d6d17378f51b9b929d..bf860d9e75af2363e6538ee525c60bf7c0821b6c 100644
--- a/net/tipc/bcast.c
+++ b/net/tipc/bcast.c
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ void tipc_bclink_init(void)
 void tipc_bclink_stop(void)
 {
 	spin_lock_bh(&bc_lock);
-	tipc_link_stop(bcl);
+	tipc_link_purge_queues(bcl);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&bc_lock);
 
 	memset(bclink, 0, sizeof(*bclink));
diff --git a/net/tipc/link.c b/net/tipc/link.c
index 9fb0f6b96b457477b39c7040296b0af194344432..471973ff134f890e03437dec4ce65b436c136da6 100644
--- a/net/tipc/link.c
+++ b/net/tipc/link.c
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ static int  link_send_sections_long(struct tipc_port *sender,
 static void link_state_event(struct tipc_link *l_ptr, u32 event);
 static void link_reset_statistics(struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
 static void link_print(struct tipc_link *l_ptr, const char *str);
-static void link_start(struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
 static int link_send_long_buf(struct tipc_link *l_ptr, struct sk_buff *buf);
 static void tipc_link_send_sync(struct tipc_link *l);
 static void tipc_link_recv_sync(struct tipc_node *n, struct sk_buff *buf);
@@ -281,7 +280,8 @@ struct tipc_link *tipc_link_create(struct tipc_node *n_ptr,
 	k_init_timer(&l_ptr->timer, (Handler)link_timeout,
 		     (unsigned long)l_ptr);
 	list_add_tail(&l_ptr->link_list, &b_ptr->links);
-	tipc_k_signal((Handler)link_start, (unsigned long)l_ptr);
+
+	link_state_event(l_ptr, STARTING_EVT);
 
 	return l_ptr;
 }
@@ -306,19 +306,13 @@ void tipc_link_delete(struct tipc_link *l_ptr)
 	tipc_node_lock(l_ptr->owner);
 	tipc_link_reset(l_ptr);
 	tipc_node_detach_link(l_ptr->owner, l_ptr);
-	tipc_link_stop(l_ptr);
+	tipc_link_purge_queues(l_ptr);
 	list_del_init(&l_ptr->link_list);
 	tipc_node_unlock(l_ptr->owner);
 	k_term_timer(&l_ptr->timer);
 	kfree(l_ptr);
 }
 
-static void link_start(struct tipc_link *l_ptr)
-{
-	tipc_node_lock(l_ptr->owner);
-	link_state_event(l_ptr, STARTING_EVT);
-	tipc_node_unlock(l_ptr->owner);
-}
 
 /**
  * link_schedule_port - schedule port for deferred sending
@@ -404,10 +398,10 @@ void tipc_link_reset_fragments(struct tipc_link *l_ptr)
 }
 
 /**
- * tipc_link_stop - purge all inbound and outbound messages associated with link
+ * tipc_link_purge_queues - purge all pkt queues associated with link
  * @l_ptr: pointer to link
  */
-void tipc_link_stop(struct tipc_link *l_ptr)
+void tipc_link_purge_queues(struct tipc_link *l_ptr)
 {
 	kfree_skb_list(l_ptr->oldest_deferred_in);
 	kfree_skb_list(l_ptr->first_out);
diff --git a/net/tipc/link.h b/net/tipc/link.h
index 89ab89be848da3bfdab3785650bf09298d729f06..3b6aa65b608c119311d3ef25429fbce2764f9a46 100644
--- a/net/tipc/link.h
+++ b/net/tipc/link.h
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ void tipc_link_dup_send_queue(struct tipc_link *l_ptr,
 void tipc_link_reset_fragments(struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
 int tipc_link_is_up(struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
 int tipc_link_is_active(struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
-void tipc_link_stop(struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
+void tipc_link_purge_queues(struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
 struct sk_buff *tipc_link_cmd_config(const void *req_tlv_area,
 				     int req_tlv_space,
 				     u16 cmd);