diff --git a/kernel/kthread.c b/kernel/kthread.c
index 121a0e1fc659..0fccf7d0c6a1 100644
--- a/kernel/kthread.c
+++ b/kernel/kthread.c
@@ -1120,8 +1120,11 @@ static void kthread_cancel_delayed_work_timer(struct kthread_work *work,
 }
 
 /*
- * This function removes the work from the worker queue. Also it makes sure
- * that it won't get queued later via the delayed work's timer.
+ * This function removes the work from the worker queue.
+ *
+ * It is called under worker->lock. The caller must make sure that
+ * the timer used by delayed work is not running, e.g. by calling
+ * kthread_cancel_delayed_work_timer().
  *
  * The work might still be in use when this function finishes. See the
  * current_work proceed by the worker.
@@ -1129,13 +1132,8 @@ static void kthread_cancel_delayed_work_timer(struct kthread_work *work,
  * Return: %true if @work was pending and successfully canceled,
  *	%false if @work was not pending
  */
-static bool __kthread_cancel_work(struct kthread_work *work, bool is_dwork,
-				  unsigned long *flags)
+static bool __kthread_cancel_work(struct kthread_work *work)
 {
-	/* Try to cancel the timer if exists. */
-	if (is_dwork)
-		kthread_cancel_delayed_work_timer(work, flags);
-
 	/*
 	 * Try to remove the work from a worker list. It might either
 	 * be from worker->work_list or from worker->delayed_work_list.
@@ -1188,11 +1186,23 @@ bool kthread_mod_delayed_work(struct kthread_worker *worker,
 	/* Work must not be used with >1 worker, see kthread_queue_work() */
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(work->worker != worker);
 
-	/* Do not fight with another command that is canceling this work. */
+	/*
+	 * Temporary cancel the work but do not fight with another command
+	 * that is canceling the work as well.
+	 *
+	 * It is a bit tricky because of possible races with another
+	 * mod_delayed_work() and cancel_delayed_work() callers.
+	 *
+	 * The timer must be canceled first because worker->lock is released
+	 * when doing so. But the work can be removed from the queue (list)
+	 * only when it can be queued again so that the return value can
+	 * be used for reference counting.
+	 */
+	kthread_cancel_delayed_work_timer(work, &flags);
 	if (work->canceling)
 		goto out;
+	ret = __kthread_cancel_work(work);
 
-	ret = __kthread_cancel_work(work, true, &flags);
 fast_queue:
 	__kthread_queue_delayed_work(worker, dwork, delay);
 out:
@@ -1214,7 +1224,10 @@ static bool __kthread_cancel_work_sync(struct kthread_work *work, bool is_dwork)
 	/* Work must not be used with >1 worker, see kthread_queue_work(). */
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(work->worker != worker);
 
-	ret = __kthread_cancel_work(work, is_dwork, &flags);
+	if (is_dwork)
+		kthread_cancel_delayed_work_timer(work, &flags);
+
+	ret = __kthread_cancel_work(work);
 
 	if (worker->current_work != work)
 		goto out_fast;