diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000.h
index e4093d1f64cb5d7dfa92372af9c8454dfa0928c4..f9313b36c88716068611b44d3c7a6b182d4277e9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000.h
@@ -317,8 +317,6 @@ struct e1000_adapter {
 	struct delayed_work watchdog_task;
 	struct delayed_work fifo_stall_task;
 	struct delayed_work phy_info_task;
-
-	struct mutex mutex;
 };
 
 enum e1000_state_t {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c
index c0f52174e4c8b909711e68047da150d64b8ad5b6..619b0cb60f2f3fa8b3ffc615d15c1996ae83f087 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c
@@ -544,21 +544,8 @@ void e1000_down(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
 	e1000_clean_all_rx_rings(adapter);
 }
 
-static void e1000_reinit_safe(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
-{
-	while (test_and_set_bit(__E1000_RESETTING, &adapter->flags))
-		msleep(1);
-	mutex_lock(&adapter->mutex);
-	e1000_down(adapter);
-	e1000_up(adapter);
-	mutex_unlock(&adapter->mutex);
-	clear_bit(__E1000_RESETTING, &adapter->flags);
-}
-
 void e1000_reinit_locked(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
 {
-	/* if rtnl_lock is not held the call path is bogus */
-	ASSERT_RTNL();
 	WARN_ON(in_interrupt());
 	while (test_and_set_bit(__E1000_RESETTING, &adapter->flags))
 		msleep(1);
@@ -1316,7 +1303,6 @@ static int e1000_sw_init(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
 	e1000_irq_disable(adapter);
 
 	spin_lock_init(&adapter->stats_lock);
-	mutex_init(&adapter->mutex);
 
 	set_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags);
 
@@ -2329,11 +2315,8 @@ static void e1000_update_phy_info_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = container_of(work,
 						     struct e1000_adapter,
 						     phy_info_task.work);
-	if (test_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags))
-		return;
-	mutex_lock(&adapter->mutex);
+
 	e1000_phy_get_info(&adapter->hw, &adapter->phy_info);
-	mutex_unlock(&adapter->mutex);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2349,9 +2332,6 @@ static void e1000_82547_tx_fifo_stall_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
 	u32 tctl;
 
-	if (test_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags))
-		return;
-	mutex_lock(&adapter->mutex);
 	if (atomic_read(&adapter->tx_fifo_stall)) {
 		if ((er32(TDT) == er32(TDH)) &&
 		   (er32(TDFT) == er32(TDFH)) &&
@@ -2372,7 +2352,6 @@ static void e1000_82547_tx_fifo_stall_task(struct work_struct *work)
 			schedule_delayed_work(&adapter->fifo_stall_task, 1);
 		}
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&adapter->mutex);
 }
 
 bool e1000_has_link(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
@@ -2426,10 +2405,6 @@ static void e1000_watchdog(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct e1000_tx_ring *txdr = adapter->tx_ring;
 	u32 link, tctl;
 
-	if (test_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags))
-		return;
-
-	mutex_lock(&adapter->mutex);
 	link = e1000_has_link(adapter);
 	if ((netif_carrier_ok(netdev)) && link)
 		goto link_up;
@@ -2520,7 +2495,7 @@ static void e1000_watchdog(struct work_struct *work)
 			adapter->tx_timeout_count++;
 			schedule_work(&adapter->reset_task);
 			/* exit immediately since reset is imminent */
-			goto unlock;
+			return;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -2548,9 +2523,6 @@ static void e1000_watchdog(struct work_struct *work)
 	/* Reschedule the task */
 	if (!test_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags))
 		schedule_delayed_work(&adapter->watchdog_task, 2 * HZ);
-
-unlock:
-	mutex_unlock(&adapter->mutex);
 }
 
 enum latency_range {
@@ -3499,10 +3471,8 @@ static void e1000_reset_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct e1000_adapter *adapter =
 		container_of(work, struct e1000_adapter, reset_task);
 
-	if (test_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags))
-		return;
 	e_err(drv, "Reset adapter\n");
-	e1000_reinit_safe(adapter);
+	e1000_reinit_locked(adapter);
 }
 
 /**