diff --git a/net/core/pktgen.c b/net/core/pktgen.c
index 5219a9e2127a..306b8f0e03c1 100644
--- a/net/core/pktgen.c
+++ b/net/core/pktgen.c
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@
 #define M_QUEUE_XMIT		2	/* Inject packet into qdisc */
 
 /* If lock -- protects updating of if_list */
-#define   if_lock(t)           spin_lock(&(t->if_lock));
-#define   if_unlock(t)           spin_unlock(&(t->if_lock));
+#define   if_lock(t)           mutex_lock(&(t->if_lock));
+#define   if_unlock(t)           mutex_unlock(&(t->if_lock));
 
 /* Used to help with determining the pkts on receive */
 #define PKTGEN_MAGIC 0xbe9be955
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ struct pktgen_net {
 };
 
 struct pktgen_thread {
-	spinlock_t if_lock;		/* for list of devices */
+	struct mutex if_lock;		/* for list of devices */
 	struct list_head if_list;	/* All device here */
 	struct list_head th_list;
 	struct task_struct *tsk;
@@ -2010,11 +2010,13 @@ static void pktgen_change_name(const struct pktgen_net *pn, struct net_device *d
 {
 	struct pktgen_thread *t;
 
+	mutex_lock(&pktgen_thread_lock);
+
 	list_for_each_entry(t, &pn->pktgen_threads, th_list) {
 		struct pktgen_dev *pkt_dev;
 
-		rcu_read_lock();
-		list_for_each_entry_rcu(pkt_dev, &t->if_list, list) {
+		if_lock(t);
+		list_for_each_entry(pkt_dev, &t->if_list, list) {
 			if (pkt_dev->odev != dev)
 				continue;
 
@@ -2029,8 +2031,9 @@ static void pktgen_change_name(const struct pktgen_net *pn, struct net_device *d
 				       dev->name);
 			break;
 		}
-		rcu_read_unlock();
+		if_unlock(t);
 	}
+	mutex_unlock(&pktgen_thread_lock);
 }
 
 static int pktgen_device_event(struct notifier_block *unused,
@@ -3762,7 +3765,7 @@ static int __net_init pktgen_create_thread(int cpu, struct pktgen_net *pn)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	spin_lock_init(&t->if_lock);
+	mutex_init(&t->if_lock);
 	t->cpu = cpu;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&t->if_list);