diff --git a/net/batman-adv/main.c b/net/batman-adv/main.c
index 28f616b8891a..417de98c39a7 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/main.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/main.c
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ err_orig:
 void batadv_mesh_free(struct net_device *soft_iface)
 {
 	struct batadv_priv *bat_priv = netdev_priv(soft_iface);
+	struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan;
 
 	atomic_set(&bat_priv->mesh_state, BATADV_MESH_DEACTIVATING);
 
@@ -273,6 +274,13 @@ void batadv_mesh_free(struct net_device *soft_iface)
 
 	batadv_mcast_free(bat_priv);
 
+	/* destroy the "untagged" VLAN */
+	vlan = batadv_softif_vlan_get(bat_priv, BATADV_NO_FLAGS);
+	if (vlan) {
+		batadv_softif_destroy_vlan(bat_priv, vlan);
+		batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
+	}
+
 	/* Free the TT and the originator tables only after having terminated
 	 * all the other depending components which may use these structures for
 	 * their purposes.
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
index 9760ae08451a..97578973943b 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
@@ -603,8 +603,8 @@ int batadv_softif_create_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv, unsigned short vid)
  * @bat_priv: the bat priv with all the soft interface information
  * @vlan: the object to remove
  */
-static void batadv_softif_destroy_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
-				       struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan)
+void batadv_softif_destroy_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
+				struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan)
 {
 	/* explicitly remove the associated TT local entry because it is marked
 	 * with the NOPURGE flag
@@ -1086,22 +1086,13 @@ static int batadv_softif_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 static void batadv_softif_destroy_netlink(struct net_device *soft_iface,
 					  struct list_head *head)
 {
-	struct batadv_priv *bat_priv = netdev_priv(soft_iface);
 	struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface;
-	struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan;
 
 	list_for_each_entry(hard_iface, &batadv_hardif_list, list) {
 		if (hard_iface->soft_iface == soft_iface)
 			batadv_hardif_disable_interface(hard_iface);
 	}
 
-	/* destroy the "untagged" VLAN */
-	vlan = batadv_softif_vlan_get(bat_priv, BATADV_NO_FLAGS);
-	if (vlan) {
-		batadv_softif_destroy_vlan(bat_priv, vlan);
-		batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
-	}
-
 	unregister_netdevice_queue(soft_iface, head);
 }
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h
index 9f2003f1a497..13709a5d23e3 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ void batadv_interface_rx(struct net_device *soft_iface,
 bool batadv_softif_is_valid(const struct net_device *net_dev);
 extern struct rtnl_link_ops batadv_link_ops;
 int batadv_softif_create_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv, unsigned short vid);
+void batadv_softif_destroy_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
+				struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan);
 void batadv_softif_vlan_release(struct kref *ref);
 struct batadv_softif_vlan *batadv_softif_vlan_get(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 						  unsigned short vid);