diff --git a/net/core/pktgen.c b/net/core/pktgen.c
index 319ad5490fb3428205c870e5edaa1dc861b62d5f..a33d03c05ed6227e325194116024033be309a2f0 100644
--- a/net/core/pktgen.c
+++ b/net/core/pktgen.c
@@ -3066,7 +3066,13 @@ static int pktgen_wait_thread_run(struct pktgen_thread *t)
 {
 	while (thread_is_running(t)) {
 
+		/* note: 't' will still be around even after the unlock/lock
+		 * cycle because pktgen_thread threads are only cleared at
+		 * net exit
+		 */
+		mutex_unlock(&pktgen_thread_lock);
 		msleep_interruptible(100);
+		mutex_lock(&pktgen_thread_lock);
 
 		if (signal_pending(current))
 			goto signal;
@@ -3081,6 +3087,10 @@ static int pktgen_wait_all_threads_run(struct pktgen_net *pn)
 	struct pktgen_thread *t;
 	int sig = 1;
 
+	/* prevent from racing with rmmod */
+	if (!try_module_get(THIS_MODULE))
+		return sig;
+
 	mutex_lock(&pktgen_thread_lock);
 
 	list_for_each_entry(t, &pn->pktgen_threads, th_list) {
@@ -3094,6 +3104,7 @@ static int pktgen_wait_all_threads_run(struct pktgen_net *pn)
 			t->control |= (T_STOP);
 
 	mutex_unlock(&pktgen_thread_lock);
+	module_put(THIS_MODULE);
 	return sig;
 }