diff --git a/drivers/net/e1000/e1000.h b/drivers/net/e1000/e1000.h
index 689f158..bd4026d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/e1000/e1000.h
+++ b/drivers/net/e1000/e1000.h
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ struct e1000_adapter {
 	uint16_t rx_itr;
 
 	struct work_struct reset_task;
+	struct work_struct watchdog_task;
 	uint8_t fc_autoneg;
 
 	struct timer_list blink_timer;
diff --git a/drivers/net/e1000/e1000_main.c b/drivers/net/e1000/e1000_main.c
index 619c892..0548e65 100644
--- a/drivers/net/e1000/e1000_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/e1000/e1000_main.c
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ static void e1000_clean_rx_ring(struct e1000_adapter *adapter,
 static void e1000_set_multi(struct net_device *netdev);
 static void e1000_update_phy_info(unsigned long data);
 static void e1000_watchdog(unsigned long data);
+static void e1000_watchdog_task(struct work_struct *work);
 static void e1000_82547_tx_fifo_stall(unsigned long data);
 static int e1000_xmit_frame(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *netdev);
 static struct net_device_stats * e1000_get_stats(struct net_device *netdev);
@@ -1049,6 +1050,7 @@ e1000_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	adapter->phy_info_timer.data = (unsigned long) adapter;
 
 	INIT_WORK(&adapter->reset_task, e1000_reset_task);
+	INIT_WORK(&adapter->watchdog_task, e1000_watchdog_task);
 
 	e1000_check_options(adapter);
 
@@ -1216,6 +1218,11 @@ e1000_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	int i;
 #endif
 
+	/* flush_scheduled work may reschedule our watchdog task, so
+	 * explicitly disable watchdog tasks from being rescheduled  */
+	set_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags);
+	del_timer_sync(&adapter->watchdog_timer);
+
 	flush_scheduled_work();
 
 	e1000_release_manageability(adapter);
@@ -2551,6 +2558,17 @@ static void
 e1000_watchdog(unsigned long data)
 {
 	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = (struct e1000_adapter *) data;
+
+	/* Do the rest outside of interrupt context */
+	schedule_work(&adapter->watchdog_task);
+}
+
+static void
+e1000_watchdog_task(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = container_of(work,
+	                                struct e1000_adapter, watchdog_task);
+
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
 	struct e1000_tx_ring *txdr = adapter->tx_ring;
 	uint32_t link, tctl;
@@ -2721,7 +2739,8 @@ e1000_watchdog(unsigned long data)
 		e1000_rar_set(&adapter->hw, adapter->hw.mac_addr, 0);
 
 	/* Reset the timer */
-	mod_timer(&adapter->watchdog_timer, jiffies + 2 * HZ);
+	if (!test_bit(__E1000_DOWN, &adapter->flags))
+		mod_timer(&adapter->watchdog_timer, jiffies + 2 * HZ);
 }
 
 enum latency_range {