diff --git a/net/tipc/core.c b/net/tipc/core.c
index fd4eeeaa972a..c6d3f75a9e1b 100644
--- a/net/tipc/core.c
+++ b/net/tipc/core.c
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ int tipc_core_start_net(unsigned long addr)
 static void tipc_core_stop(void)
 {
 	tipc_netlink_stop();
-	tipc_handler_stop();
 	tipc_cfg_stop();
 	tipc_subscr_stop();
 	tipc_nametbl_stop();
@@ -146,9 +145,10 @@ static int tipc_core_start(void)
 		res = tipc_subscr_start();
 	if (!res)
 		res = tipc_cfg_init();
-	if (res)
+	if (res) {
+		tipc_handler_stop();
 		tipc_core_stop();
-
+	}
 	return res;
 }
 
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ static int __init tipc_init(void)
 
 static void __exit tipc_exit(void)
 {
+	tipc_handler_stop();
 	tipc_core_stop_net();
 	tipc_core_stop();
 	pr_info("Deactivated\n");
diff --git a/net/tipc/handler.c b/net/tipc/handler.c
index b36f0fcd9bdf..e4bc8a296744 100644
--- a/net/tipc/handler.c
+++ b/net/tipc/handler.c
@@ -56,12 +56,13 @@ unsigned int tipc_k_signal(Handler routine, unsigned long argument)
 {
 	struct queue_item *item;
 
+	spin_lock_bh(&qitem_lock);
 	if (!handler_enabled) {
 		pr_err("Signal request ignored by handler\n");
+		spin_unlock_bh(&qitem_lock);
 		return -ENOPROTOOPT;
 	}
 
-	spin_lock_bh(&qitem_lock);
 	item = kmem_cache_alloc(tipc_queue_item_cache, GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (!item) {
 		pr_err("Signal queue out of memory\n");
@@ -112,10 +113,14 @@ void tipc_handler_stop(void)
 	struct list_head *l, *n;
 	struct queue_item *item;
 
-	if (!handler_enabled)
+	spin_lock_bh(&qitem_lock);
+	if (!handler_enabled) {
+		spin_unlock_bh(&qitem_lock);
 		return;
-
+	}
 	handler_enabled = 0;
+	spin_unlock_bh(&qitem_lock);
+
 	tasklet_kill(&tipc_tasklet);
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&qitem_lock);