diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c
index 191028b1489b1fb4bceb49306ba82e2e3046ad87..d05296a7078e5eca8d81ef05e0d3b889c83d37f3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c
@@ -459,6 +459,9 @@ int i40e_lan_del_device(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 	struct i40e_device *ldev, *tmp;
 	int ret = -ENODEV;
 
+	/* First, remove any client instance. */
+	i40e_client_del_instance(pf);
+
 	mutex_lock(&i40e_device_mutex);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(ldev, tmp, &i40e_devices, list) {
 		if (ldev->pf == pf) {