diff --git a/drivers/net/wan/hdlc_ppp.c b/drivers/net/wan/hdlc_ppp.c
index 64f855651336..261b53fc8e04 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wan/hdlc_ppp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wan/hdlc_ppp.c
@@ -569,6 +569,13 @@ static void ppp_timer(struct timer_list *t)
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&ppp->lock, flags);
+	/* mod_timer could be called after we entered this function but
+	 * before we got the lock.
+	 */
+	if (timer_pending(&proto->timer)) {
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ppp->lock, flags);
+		return;
+	}
 	switch (proto->state) {
 	case STOPPING:
 	case REQ_SENT: