diff --git a/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c b/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
index c4a2eb2..540a796 100644
--- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
+++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
@@ -365,17 +365,19 @@
 	if (netif_carrier_ok(vif->dev))
 		xenvif_carrier_off(vif);
 
-	atomic_dec(&vif->refcnt);
-	wait_event(vif->waiting_to_free, atomic_read(&vif->refcnt) == 0);
-
-	if (vif->irq)
+	if (vif->irq) {
 		unbind_from_irqhandler(vif->irq, vif);
+		vif->irq = 0;
+	}
 
 	xen_netbk_unmap_frontend_rings(vif);
 }
 
 void xenvif_free(struct xenvif *vif)
 {
+	atomic_dec(&vif->refcnt);
+	wait_event(vif->waiting_to_free, atomic_read(&vif->refcnt) == 0);
+
 	unregister_netdev(vif->dev);
 
 	free_netdev(vif->dev);