--- x/drivers/net/netdevsim/bus.c
+++ y/drivers/net/netdevsim/bus.c
@@ -521,18 +521,18 @@ void nsim_bus_exit(void)
 {
 	struct nsim_bus_dev *nsim_bus_dev, *tmp;
 
+	mutex_lock(&nsim_bus_dev_list_lock);
 	/* Disallow using resources */
 	smp_store_release(&nsim_bus_enable, false);
-	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&nsim_bus_devs))
-		complete(&nsim_bus_devs_released);
 
-	mutex_lock(&nsim_bus_dev_list_lock);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(nsim_bus_dev, tmp, &nsim_bus_dev_list, list) {
 		list_del(&nsim_bus_dev->list);
 		nsim_bus_dev_del(nsim_bus_dev);
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&nsim_bus_dev_list_lock);
 
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&nsim_bus_devs))
+		complete(&nsim_bus_devs_released);
 	wait_for_completion(&nsim_bus_devs_released);
 
 	driver_unregister(&nsim_driver);